Proceedings of the World Multiconference on Systemics, Cybernetics, and Informatics, 2001, Volume XV: N. Callaos, W.Badawy, S. Bozinovski (Eds.) Industrial Systems, pp. 65-70  DNA as a Real Time, Database Operating System Stevo Bozinovski Center for Beings Research, Electrical Engineering Department Sts Cyril and Methodius University Skopje, Macedonia and Gjorgi Jovancevski, Nevena Bozinovska Computer Science Institute, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Sts Cyril and Methodius University Skopje, Macedonia ABSTRACT Looking for a role that DNA has in the cell, using the Flexible Manufacturing Systems framework, we are elaborating that DNA can be viewed as a cell Operating System. In the paper we consider several aspects of that approach. The paper also proposes some possible explanations for some not yet understood phenomena in molecular genetics in terms of systems software. Keywords: computer science, manufacturing science, protein biosynthesis, Escherichia coli, autonomous agents, interaction, flexible manufacturing, cell operating systems, distributed operating systems, parallel programming 1. INTRODUCTION There are two fundamental processes in molecular genetics: replication and protein biosynthesis. Both the processes are governed by the DNA molecule. From the computer science viewpoint, we are looking for the best metaphor that will describe the DNA, taking into account both the fundamental processes. Using the Flexible Manufacturing Approach [3], previously we proposed [4] that the DNA can be viewed as a cell master database. That seems to be currently an acceptable metaphor for the DNA [1]. Now we are considering a broader view toward DNA, that it is actually a cell Operating System which contains and takes care of a huge database, but also governs all the complex control processes. It is believed that this view has a potential to offer some answers to relevant questions in molecular cell biology. 2. THE FRAMEWORK We can recognize three basic metaphors describing the process of protein biosynthesis in the living cell: 1) the linguistic metaphor, 2) the factory metaphor and 3) the flexible manufacturing metaphor. The linguistic metaphor introduced two basic notions, the transcription and translation, which are widely accepted notions in molecular genetics [e.g. 17]. The factory metaphor considers the notion of a factory and uses terminology such as assembly lines [e.g. 15]. The flexible manufacturing metaphor recognized the parallelism of information processing (computing science) and material processing (manufacturing science) within the protein biosynthesis process [3,4]. The framework of our study bases on the observation that the biological cell is an agent existing in an environment in which it behaves (e.g. moves), and it manufactures some products for itself and also for the environment (Figure 1). ENVIRONMENT other events goal behavior Cell as Behaving and Manufacturing Agent production behavior self supply suppliers, allies Figure 1. The cell as an agent interacting with its environment The cell can be an active autonomous agent, an example being the bacterium Escherichia coli, or can have a more passive role as a specialized worker in a multicellular system, an example being a cell of the human skin. In both cases the cell receives signals from the environment including signals from other cellular agents, and responds to the signals. The cell has special sensors for various signals, and some of the cells have motors which allow them to move in the environment. As an example, E. coli has about 50-70 sensors for various signals from the environment., and about 6-8 motors that are actuators for their flagella. Using sensors E. coli will move toward an attracting part of the environment by chemotaxis [1].