Scientists from the University of Western Australia have taught plant cells to perform logical operations - YES, NO, AND
Researchers have been working on so-calledbiocomputers. Their role is performed by living cells. They are capable of responding to the presence of the recombinase enzyme. Its production is stimulated by heating or the addition of a synthetic hormone of the adrenal cortex. The response signal is the inclusion of so-called reporter proteins. In recent work, the green fluorescent protein has acted as such.
For the OR operation, at least one of the two recombinases must be present, and for AND, both. Cells with successful "learning" began to glow.
Scientists say this work brings them closer to creating memory cells based on living cells.