The postgenomic era has seen an emergence of new applications of DNA manipulation technologies, including DNA-based molecular computing. Surface DNA computing has already been reported in a number of studies that, however, all employ different mechanisms other than automaton functions. Here we describe a programmable DNA surface-computing device as a Turing machine-like finite automaton. The laboratory automaton is primarily composed of DNA (inputs, output-detectors, transition molecules as software), DNA manipulating enzymes and buffer system that solve artificial computational problems autonomously. When fluoresceins were labeled in the 5 end of (−) strand of the input molecule, direct observation of all reaction intermediates along the time scale was made so that the dynamic process of DNA computing could be conveniently visualized. The features of this study are: (i) achievement of finite automaton functions by linearly programmed DNA computer operated on magnetic particle surface and (ii) direct detection of all DNA computing intermediates by capillary electrophoresis. Since DNA computing has the massive parallelism and feasibility for automation, this achievement sets a basis for large-scale implications of DNA computing for functional genomics in the near future.

Recently a strong positive association between schizophrenia and Notch4 has been reported.1 Both individual markers and haplotypes showed association with the disease, with five markers (three microsatellites and two SNPs) being tested. In order to test this finding we genotyped these markers in the Han Chinese population using a sample of 544 cases and 621 controls as well as 300 trios. Analysis of allele, genotype and haplotype frequencies in both samples showed no association between the markers and the disease. Our results would indicate that a significant role for the Notch4 gene in schizophrenia can be ruled out in the Han Chinese. However, similar studies are necessary in the Caucasian population as linkage disequilibrium arrangements and founder effects may differ between these two populations.

Brachydactyly type A-1 (BDA1) was, in 1903, the first recorded example of a human anomaly with Mendelian autosomal dominant inheritance. Two large families, the affected members of which were radiographed, were recruited in the study we describe here. Two-point linkage analysis for pedigree 1 (maximum LOD score [Zmax] 6.59 at recombination fraction [θ] 0.00) and for pedigree 2 (at) mapped the Z=5.53 v=0.00 locus for BDA1 max in the two families to chromosome 2q. Haplotype analysis of pedigree 1 confined the locus for family 1 within an interval of <8.1cM flanked by markers D2S2248 and D2S360, which was mapped to chromosome 2q35-q36 on the cytogenetic map. Haplotype analysis of pedigree 2 confined the locus for family 2 within an interval of <28.8cM flanked by markers GATA30E06 and D2S427, which was localized to chromosome 2q35-q37. The two families had no identical haplotype within the defined region, which suggests that the two families were not related.

Brachydactyly type A-1 (BDA-1; MIM 112500) is characterized by shortening or missing of the middle phalanges (Fig. 1a)1. It was first identified by Farabee in 1903 (ref. 2), is the first recorded example of a human anomaly with Mendelian autosomal- dominant inheritance and, as such, is cited in most genetic and biological textbooks. Here we show that mutations in IHH, which encodes Indian hedgehog, cause BDA-1. We have identified three heterozygous missense mutations in the region encoding the amino-terminal signaling domain in all affected members of three large, unrelated families. The three mutant amino acids, which are conserved across all vertebrates and invertebrates studied so far, are predicted to be adjacent on the surface of IHH.