Abstract: In this study, we present a comprehensive survey of both Residue Number System (RNS) and bioinformatics with emphasis on the application of RNS to Smith Waterman Algorithm (SWA). The limitations of SWA are highlighted. We suggest RNS as an important tool for addressing the SWA limitations by posing interesting open questions. We believe that addressing this issue will open new avenues for both RNS and bioinformatics researchers.