Theoretically, only two things were needed to build a computer capable of computing anything computable - a method by which information was stored and simple operations which acted on it. DNA itself was a storehouse for information (it contains the 'blueprint of life'!) while enzymes like polymerases had been used to operate on this information.
Theoretically, lamang ng dalawang mga bagay-bagay ay kailangan upang bumuo ng isang computer na may kakayahan ng computing anumang nakukuwenta - isang paraan na kung saan ang impormasyon ay naka-imbak at simpleng operasyon na kung saan acted on it. DNA mismo ay isang kamalig para sa impormasyon sa (ito ay naglalaman ng 'magplano ng buhay'!) Habang enzymes tulad polymerases ay nagamit na upang patakbuhin sa impormasyon na ito. Adleman, alam niya sapat na bumuo ng isang universal computer.