DNA as a Quantum Computer: Insights from Quantum Physics

By Samudrapom DamReviewed by Susha Cheriyedath, M.Sc.May 29 2024

In an article recently published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers described how deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) behaves like a quantum computer based on quantum physics principles.

DNA and Quantum Physics

DNA, a complex molecule at the intersection of chemistry, physics, and biology, poses a significant theoretical challenge due to its multiscale nature. To grasp the quantum informatics structure of DNA and understand its operation akin to a quantum computer, both quantum physics and chemistry are essential.

The study of DNA through a quantum physical-chemical-biological lens, responsible for transmitting genetic information, unveils complex phenomena in quantum physics, such as the formation of correlated particle pairs. Quantum physics identifies two primary types of particle systems: bosons and fermions, each with exclusive characteristics.

While most physical processes derive from systems composed solely of bosons or fermions, mixed systems present unique challenges. In these hybrid systems, the fundamental quantum nature of fermions or bosons remains, but their interactions can lead to complex phenomena like Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) and superconductivity.

The growing volume of DNA data, growing exponentially each year, has driven the development of quantum computing accelerators to manage this surge as current technology struggles with the scale. Consequently, the exploration of two-state quantum systems capable of functioning as qubits has intensified. Such quantum systems must maintain stability against minor external disturbances to ensure their effectiveness. In states of thermal equilibrium, which maximizes entropy, the relevance of the ground state becomes evident. This state provides insight into the system’s behavior at low temperatures and is more tractable for both computational and mathematical analysis.

Although considerable progress has been made in understanding quantum dynamic processes, a fully comprehensive analogy applicable to DNA analysis is yet to be found.

The Study

In this study, researchers developed an aromaticity model for the nitrogenous bases of DNA, focusing on the formation of correlated electron and hole pairs to replicate DNA properties. Although molecules have higher degrees of freedom, in DNA it is presumed that the high mechanical tension due to superhelicity limits the DNA's elastic response to distortion.

The researchers suggested that electrons harness the quantized energy of molecular vibrations to generate an oscillatory resonant quantum state between hole pairs and electrons. They introduced a Hamiltonian incorporating two specific interactions to facilitate this: the attractive interaction between electron-vibrational energy and electrons and Coulomb repulsion, both of which contribute to the formation of resonant oscillatory quantum states.

A stable current resulted from the oscillatory interactions between the hole and electron pairs within a single band. This mechanism and the associated physical-mathematical model were thoroughly depicted.

Using physical approximations, the study theoretically demonstrated that the base pairs adenine (A)-thymine (T) and cytosine (C)-guanine (G) are maximally entangled quantum states, analogous to coupled superconductors found in certain solids. They proposed that a Josephson Junction, similar to those in superconductors, could be formed between A-T and C-G pairs linked via central hydrogen bonds (H-bond).

The confined electron pairs within the π-clouds of canonical base pairs were shown to produce an electric supercurrent due to the formation of oscillatory resonant quantum states between the hole and electron pairs. The researchers utilized these findings to represent qubits using binary-oppositional pairs of A, T, G, and C as indicators in their genetic informatics model. They also proposed a simplified teleportation protocol to simulate a DNA-based quantum computer.

Importance of the Work

The theoretical examination presented in this research elucidated DNA's structure and its functional role in encoding, decoding, and transmitting genetic information. The model explained aromaticity through an oscillatory resonant quantum state formed by correlated electron and hole pairs, with the quantized energy of molecular vibrations acting as an attractive force.

Additionally, the correlated pairs formed a supercurrent within the nitrogenous bases in a single band π-molecular orbital (π-MO). The MO wave function was presumed to be the linear combination of n constituent atomic orbitals. The central H-bond between A and T or G and C functioned like an ideal Josephson Junction.

The paper also described the Josephson Effect between two superconductors, using the nitrogenous bases to form two entangled quantum states that represented a qubit. In a notable application, ribonucleic acid (RNA) polymerase was suggested to teleport one of the four Bell states by merging the composite quantum state with classical information.

Overall, the findings provided a detailed view of how DNA could be conceptualized within the frameworks of quantum and solid-state physics, offering insights into its complex molecular structure and behavior.

Journal Reference

Riera Aroche, R., Ortiz García, Y. M., Martínez Arellano, M. A., Riera Leal, A. (2024). DNA as a perfect quantum computer based on quantum physics principles. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-62539-5, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-62539-5

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