A surface-based DNA algorithm for minimal set cover

We present an algorithm that solves the Minimal Set Cover prob lem within the framework of a surface based model of computation A xing DNA strands to a solid surface reduces the possibility of error resulting from the loss of DNA strands in solution An algorithm solving the Minimal Set Cover problem has previously been proposed using the sticker model of DNA computation Roweis We show that by taking advantage of the exibility a orded by the surface basedmodel we can design an encoding that eliminates the need for the separation steps required by the sticker model thereby reduc ing both the likelihood of error and the number of biological manipulation steps required by the algorithm To our knowledge the algorithm we present is the rst published DNA computing algorithm to make use of surface based