On genetic logic circuits: forcing digital electronics standards?
Information processing is widely understood as the ability to change data in any meaningful manner. As such, this task is performed by natural systems as well as human-defined devices. The rational design of highly standardized electronic-based machines is a great source of inspiration for the synthetic biology community, which implements the same abstract concepts and theoretical functions with genetic technology in cells. For example, bacteria can be engineered to function as logic gates, adders or counters. However, the rules and concepts of electronic circuitry should not be literally translated into genetics. At least, not to the same extent in all cases. This issue needs to be addressed in order to establish a robust gene-based logic technology with its own specifications. This paper revise briefly the basics of genetic logic and, standing at the edge of biological and engineering sciences, tackles some recurrent misleading concepts and open questions
logic circuit synthetic biology bacteria engineering