Table 2.

How the mechanism of encapsulation can be described at three levels of analysis

Level in hiearchy	Example: “Encapsulation”
	Computational principle	Biological mechanism
Level 3: optimization	Logical scope: local/global	Compartments/modularity
	Algorithms	Self-organization
Level 2: constraints	Type inference	Cross reactivity and specificity
	Function blocks	Regulatory circuits
Level 1: materials	Protected memory	DNA packaging
	Transistors	Enzymes