Quantitatively accurate models will facilitate the engineering of more complex biological behaviors and inform bottom-up studies of natural genetic regulatory networks. A mathematical model constructed from first principles and parameterized with experimental measurements of the component circuits predicts the performance of the complete program. Genetic logic gates are used so that only cells that sense light and the diffusible signal produce a positive output. In the dark, cells produce a diffusible chemical signal that diffuses into light regions. An engineered light sensor enables cells to distinguish between light and dark regions.
The algorithm is implemented using multiple genetic circuits. We have constructed a genetically encoded edge detection algorithm that programs an isogenic community of E.coli to sense an image of light, communicate to identify the light-dark edges, and visually present the result of the computation.
Edge detection is a signal processing algorithm common in artificial intelligence and image recognition programs.
