Gene Chip - "Bio-information Genie"
--Talking about the role of math and computers in modern life science research
The twentieth century is the century of physical science, while the twenty-first century is the century of life science. Life sciences, especially the rapid development of biotechnology, is not only closely related to human health, agricultural development and living environment, but also will play a role in promoting the development of other disciplines, the so-called "today's science, tomorrow's technology, the day after tomorrow's production". The basic research of life science is the source of modern biotechnology and the key to scientific and technological innovation.
Modern biotechnology, is a leading cutting-edge science and technology disciplines, because of this, I would like to know how it and math - my specialty, computers and other theories or technologies are organically linked together. Based on this, I used my spare time to check many websites and books, and had a small harvest. Now on the "gene chip" technology, as follows.
One, gene chip introduction
Gene chip, also known as the DNA chip, is a high-tech products developed in the mid-1990s. Gene chips are as large as a fingernail, and their substrates are generally treated glass chips. The base surface of each chip can be divided into tens of thousands to millions of cells. Within the designated cell, a large number of nucleic acid molecules (also called molecular probes) with a specific function and a sequence of about 20 bases long can be immobilized.
As the immobilized molecular probes form different probe arrays on the substrate, utilizing the principles of molecular hybridization and parallel processing, the GeneChip can perform molecular detection of genetic material, and therefore can be used for genetic research, forensic identification, disease detection and drug screening. Gene chip technology has unparalleled high efficiency, rapidity and multi-parameter characteristics, which is a major innovation and leap in traditional biotechnology such as detection, hybridization, typing and DNA sequencing technology.
Two, gene chip technology
Biochip technology was born in the early 1990s with the smooth progress of the human genome project, it is through the process of semiconductor photolithography like integrated circuits in the process of micro-miniaturization technology, will now be in the life sciences research in a number of discontinuous, discrete analytical processes, such as sample preparation, chemical reactions, and qualitative and quantitative means of detection, etc. Integrated in the size of a fingernail on a silicon chip or glass chip, so that these analytical processes continuous and miniaturized. That is to say, the current need for several laboratories, laboratories to complete the technology, the production of portable biochemical analyzers with different purposes, so that the biological analysis of the process of full automation, the speed of analysis thousands of times, the need for samples and chemical reagents thousands of times to reduce. It is foreseeable that in the near future, the micro analyzer made with it will be widely used in molecular biology, basic medical research, clinical diagnosis and treatment, new drug development, forensic identification, food hygiene supervision, biological weapons war and other fields.
Biochip technology is currently one of the best prospects for the application of DNA analysis technology, the analysis of objects can be nucleic acids, proteins, cells, tissues, etc.. At present, the world is still in the research stage of disease diagnosis with biochips, and foreign countries have used it to observe the expression and mutation of oncogenes and some genetic disease genes such as myasthenia gravis.
Biochip technology can also be used for therapeutic purposes, for example, it has been developed in 4 square millimeters of the chip covered with 400 needles with drugs, regular quantitative drug injections for patients. In addition, scientists are also considering the production of timed release of insulin to treat diabetes biochip micropumps and can be placed in the heart of the chip pacemaker. The combination of biochip technology and combinatorial chemistry will open up another valuable application direction, that is, to provide ultra-high-throughput screening platform technology for the development of new drugs, which will surely lead to a major breakthrough in the research and development of new drugs and the evaluation of the composition of traditional Chinese medicine.
Three, gene chip application technology examples
1, gene deciphering
At present, by the scientists of many countries to participate in the "human genome project", is trying to draw a complete human chromosome arrangement map in the early 21st century. As we all know, chromosomes are the carriers of DNA, genes are segments of DNA with genetic effects, and the basic unit of DNA is the four bases. Since each person possesses 3 billion base pairs, deciphering the base arrangement order of all DNA is undoubtedly a gigantic project. Compared to traditional gene sequencing techniques, GeneChips decipher the human genome and detect mutations thousands of times faster.
The main reason why gene chips are so fast is that there are thousands of microgels on the gene chip, which can be detected in parallel; at the same time, because the microgel is three-dimensional, it is equivalent to providing a three-dimensional detection platform, which can immobilize proteins and DNA and analyze them.
The United States is conducting research on the gene chip, has developed a rapid interpretation of the genetic code of the "gene chip", so that the interpretation of human genes than the current speed of 1000 times higher. Figure 1 shows a genetic testing device with an embedded gene chip.
2. Genetic diagnosis
By analyzing the human genome with a gene chip, disease-causing genes can be identified. Cancer, diabetes, etc., are diseases caused by genetic defects. Medical and biological researchers will be able to identify mutated genes that ultimately cause cancer, among other things, in seconds. With the help of a small drop of test solution, doctors will be able to predict the efficacy of a drug on a patient, diagnose adverse reactions to a drug during treatment, and identify on the spot what kind of bacterial, viral, or other microbial infection a patient is suffering from. The use of gene chips to analyze genes will lead to a diagnosis of diabetes of more than 50% in 10 years.
In the future, when people undergo medical checkups, a diagnostic robot equipped with a gene chip will take blood from the examinee, and the results of the medical checkup will be displayed on a computer screen in an instant. The use of genetic diagnosis, medical care will be from the uniform "mass medical" era, progress to the individual genetics based on the different "customized medical" era.
3. Genetic environmental protection
Gene chips are also very promising in environmental protection. Gene chips can efficiently detect pollution caused by microorganisms or organic matter, and can also help researchers find and synthesize natural enzyme genes that have the function of detoxifying and digesting pollutants. Once such environmentally friendly genes are discovered, researchers will transfer them into common bacteria, which will then be used to clean up polluted rivers or soil.
4. Genetic computation
DNA molecules are similar to "computer disks," with the ability to save, copy and rewrite information. The length of a helical DNA molecule will exceed a person's height if it is straightened, but if it is folded up, it can be reduced to a small ball with a diameter of only a few micrometers. Therefore, the DNA molecule is regarded as an ultra-high density, high-capacity molecular memory.
Gene chips have been improved to express different numbers using different biological states and can also be used to create biological computers. Based on gene chips and genetic algorithms, the future field of bioinformatics will hopefully see the emergence of bioinformatics enterprises that can match today's hardware giants in the computer industry -- Intel Corporation, and software giants -- Microsoft Corporation.
Four, the practical application of gene chips
Gene chips in life sciences, pharmaceutical research, environmental protection and agriculture and other fields have extremely important application value. Driven by gene chips, human beings are entering a brand new bio-information era.
1, in the United States scientists for the first time they called a biochip computer chip implanted in the human body's cells, so that the human body cells and computer connection. This is the U.S. scientists Boris Lubinsky (Boris Lubinsky) and his colleague Huang Yong (transliteration) in March of the U.S. "Biomedical Microdevices" magazine article disclosure.
2, human cells are wrapped in a cell membrane, which has the function of enabling the passage of specific substances in one direction. For many years, scientists have been seeking to find a method of electric shock, so that the desired substance into the cell membrane, but until now, the methods used sometimes successful, sometimes failed. With the new method developed by Rubinsky and Huang Yong, the cell membrane is given a signal by a computer to allow certain substances to enter the cell. Depending on the context, these substances could be genetic material, for example, used to change genes, or drugs or proteins. In this way, these substances can be made more effective.
Scientists such as Rubinsky intend to develop biochips that can send commands to human tissues, such as nerve cells and muscles, which would at least make the drugs that people take more effective. Morillo Frari, director of the Center for Biomedical Engineering at Ohio State University, called Rubinski's invention a potentially useful laboratory tool in the early stages of development.
U.S. scientists say they have found a bioengineered chip that can mate human cells and circuits that could play a key role in medicine and genetic engineering.
The microscopic device, smaller and thinner than a hair, combines healthy human cells with an electronic chip, which is controlled by a computer that the scientists believe allows them to control the activity of the cells.
The computer sends electrical impulses to the cell chip, which excites the cell membrane pores to open and activate the cells. Scientists hope to be able to produce these cell chips in large quantities and be able to implant them in the body to replace or correct diseased tissue.
Boris Rubinsky, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of California, who led the research, said, "The cell chips also give scientists more precise control over the complex process of gene therapy because they are able to open the cell pores more accurately."
Rubinsky added, "We are introducing the essence of engineering into the field of biology, and we are completely able to input DNA, extract proteins, and inject drugs without affecting other cells around us."
The emergence of this cell chip is linked to a long-held theory that a certain amount of voltage can penetrate cell membranes.
For years, scientists have been conducting genetic research on experiments with bombarding cells with electricity in the hope of introducing new therapies and genetic material. Researchers hope to eventually create cell chips that are tuned to the exact amount of voltage needed to activate different body tissues, from muscle to bone to the brain. That way, thousands of cell chips will be available to treat all types of diseases.
3. China's first applied gene chip, developed in-house with original technology, was formally born recently at the First Military Medical University.
According to the First Military Medical University, the person in charge of the development of the successful gene chip, is China's first application of an innovative gene sheet amplification technology, the first to overcome the mainland counterparts in the gene chip research first faced with the rapid and economical collection of tens of thousands of gene probe problem, and clever use of new technology to significantly reduce costs.
Currently, the chip has completed laboratory work and is about to enter the clinical validation phase. If things go well, the gene chip for clinical diagnosis is expected to be put into mass production soon. However, to date, there has been no actual production of gene chips for clinical diagnostics in the world.
In the lab, these pieces of gene chips are slightly larger than a thumbnail, placed on the detector, and connected to the computer screen immediately appeared crisscrossed with red, red, green, and green fluorescent dots, and each of the fluorescent dots that appear is a gene fragment of the dot matrix. As long as the patient to take a drop of blood on the chip detection card, after molecular hybridization, connected to the computer can immediately show the genetic changes, and through the computer to the genetic language translated into a doctor can read the information, so as to make an accurate diagnosis of the disease.
The successful birth of this chip marks the advancement of disease diagnosis from the cellular and tissue level to the genetic level. Their development and application will show a broad prospect in environmental pollution control, animal and plant quarantine, organ transplantation, prenatal diagnosis, drug screening, drug development and so on.
Fifth, life sciences gradually become the focus of IT companies
Human genome work sketch drawing the news like opening the door to the treasure of Alibaba, gene technology as the core of the life sciences market is attracting more and more gold diggers. Recently, information technology (IT) companies, which produce the "shovels" for these gold diggers, have been making a lot of noise.
1, unraveling the mystery of the genes must be deciphered a lot of data
The sketch of the human genome is only read out the "book of life", and to really read it, revealing all the information represented by the genetic code, but also must be deciphered as a vast sea of data.
In the famous Sanger Center in the United Kingdom, the data on the human genome has reached 22 trillion bytes, more than twice the content of the world's leading Library of Congress collection. This center estimates that the amount of data related to the human genome will rise to another 50 trillion to 100 trillion bytes in the next two to three years.
2, life sciences companies 10% investment in the development of information technology
In order to solve the problem of the huge computing power needed to deal with the data, the world's 12 largest life sciences companies are currently nearly 10% of the research budget for information technology investment, and this proportion may also grow.
International Business Machines (IBM) estimates that the life sciences-related IT market will reach $3.5 billion this year and $9 billion by 2003.
3. Huge market potential
Some famous IT companies, have set their eyes on this market with huge potential. For example, IBM has decided to invest 100 million U.S. dollars, five years to develop a supercomputer called "Blue Gene".
"Blue Gene" computing power will be the United States 40 existing fastest supercomputer computing power of the sum of 40 times, it is mainly used to simulate the process of human protein folding into a special shape. The world's largest personal computer maker, Compaq, also coveted this piece of "fat meat".
4, Compaq early start to cultivate the future customer base
Compaq has become a major supplier of computer servers in the field of life sciences recently announced that it will continue to invest $ 100 million in support of emerging biotechnology companies, in order to cultivate the future customer base.
In fact, IT companies have far more than just an eye on these near-term benefits. There is a ****ing consensus that the bioeconomy, based on genetic research, could become an important part of the new economy in the new century.
5. Industry standard-setters enjoy huge economic benefits
Based on past experience, most companies that enter the market first are able to become industry standard-setters, and these industry standards often mean huge economic benefits.
In August of this year, the shares of German company Lion Life Sciences went public. Its stock price quickly rose 50% in a short period of time as investors saw that the company's gene sequence retrieval system (SRS) could become the new industry standard.
6, government support for genetic research
IT companies to enter the field of life sciences, and government support for genetic research is inseparable. In order to lead in the next stage of genome research - analyzing the protein structure of the international competition, many countries are actively taking measures to promote the information industry and the combination of biological industries.
For example, Japan recently organized a "government, industry and academia" large joint "bio-industry information technology research **** with the same", to participate in this **** with the same body in addition to pharmaceuticals, food, biology, chemistry and other genetics-related enterprises, and many computer companies. A number of computer companies.
Summary: the scientific community recognized that the biochip technology will bring a revolution to the next century of life science and medical research. At present, our scientists are accelerating the development of this may be fast and convenient to extract DNA, find the genetic characteristics of the new technology. I believe that the results of this marriage of modern biology and high technology will make a great contribution to the development of the twenty-first century!