RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Enzyme-Free Nucleic Acid Dynamical Systems JF bioRxiv FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory SP 138420 DO 10.1101/138420 A1 Srinivas, Niranjan A1 Parkin, James A1 Seelig, Georg A1 Winfree, Erik A1 Soloveichik, David YR 2017 UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/05/16/138420.abstract AB Chemistries exhibiting complex dynamics—from inorganic oscillators to gene regulatory networks—have been long known but cannot be reprogrammed at will because of a lack of control over their evolved or serendipitously found molecular building blocks. Here we show that information-rich DNA strand displacement cascades could be systematically constructed to realize complex temporal trajectories specified by an abstract chemical reaction network model. We codify critical design principles in a compiler that automates the design process, and demonstrate our approach by building a novel DNA-only oscillator. Unlike biological networks that rely on the sophisticated chemistry underlying the central dogma, our test tube realization suggests that simple Watson-Crick base pairing interactions alone suffice for arbitrarily complex dynamics. Our result establishes a basis for autonomous and programmable molecular systems that interact with and control their chemical environment.