Dawei Li presented an investigation of the behavior of gene sequences transcoded to base 4 digits and evolved according to a ECA rule. He attempted to discover a new model of the propagation of virii using NKS methods, saying that Dr. Wolfram's approach provides a non-traditional visualized model for sequence comparisons.
He began with 4 hypotheses:
1 DNA is not random; it has a rule.
2 There is an uncertain mode of nucleotide organization that each DNA sequence follow.
3 Simple rules can produce complex behaviors in living organisms.
4 It is not only appropriate to DNA/RNA, but also to protein sequences
He selected rule 84 because of its nested structure and investigated its effect on many gene sequences in a selection of viruses, including some SARS strains. He displayed an array of algorithmically-colored graphs of evolutions, with similar colors indicating closer similar behavior. A detailed analysis of the transformations of various sequences in the virus DNA followed. The overall results seemed to be that regions that produces nested structures on evolution may be related to the reproduction of the virus.
He finished extremely early and the audience peppered him with questions about the implications of his project. Many people seemed skeptical, but intrigued.
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