Functional analysis of chemical systems in vivo using a logical circuit equivalent. II. The idea of a molecular automation.

Abstract The theory presented by the author in his previous paper in this journal ( Sugita, 1961 ), which concerned the use of logical circuits or symbolic logic, is revised and extended and the idea of a molecular automaton is introduced. This is a molecular system, the rate processes of which are parametrically controlled, and the logical nature of which is equivalent to a switching circuit having input, output, and a certain time delay. The concepts of Monod & Jacob (1961) are considered from the viewpoint of the above theory and the logical equations corresponding to molecular processes are given. The sequential effects of some drugs may also be understood, using the notion of a molecular automaton. Methods of applying the tools of mathematics and electronics are discussed. Analogue analysis was considered in a previous paper, Fukuda & Sugita (1961) , and digital analysis is discussed in this paper.