Chess games: a model for RNA based computation

Here we develop the theory of RNA computing and a method for solving the `knight problemʹ as an instance of a satisfiability (SAT) problem. Using only biological molecules and enzymes as tools, we developed an algorithm for solving the knight problem (3×3 chess board) using a 10-bit combinatorial pool and sequential RNase H digestions. The results of preliminary experiments presented here reveal that the protocol recovers far more correct solutions than expected at random, but the persistence of errors still presents the greatest challenge.