In this article, we implement a localized autocatalytic molecular system inside a closed microfluidic chamber. Due to the enzymatic nature of the catalytic process, a variety of parasitic species eventually emerge and compete with the legitimate molecular process for fuel. The behaviors observed range from the creation of large stable structures to that of small diffusing particles. Those results, along with the modularity of the molecular system, show that the proposed experimental setup can be used safely for further study of the evolution of parasitic behaviors at the molecular scale.

Issue Section:
General Conference
Parasitic emergence, Molecular programming, Microfluidic chamber, PEN DNA toolbox
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© 2021 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license
2021
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Issue Section:
General Conference