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The Merging of Biological and Electronic Circuits.

ABSTRACT: Biological circuits and systems within even a single cell need to be represented by large-scale feedback networks of nonlinear, stochastic, stiff, asynchronous, non-modular coupled differential equations governing complex molecular interactions. Thus, rational drug discovery and synthetic biological design is difficult. We suggest that a four-pronged interdisciplinary approach merging biology and electronics can help: (1) The mapping of biological circuits to electronic circuits via quantitatively exact schematics; (2) The use of existing electronic circuit software for hierarchical modeling, design, and analysis with such schematics; (3) The use of cytomorphic electronic hardware for rapid stochastic simulation of circuit schematics and associated parameter discovery to fit measured biological data; (4) The use of bio-electronic reporting circuits rather than bio-optical circuits for measurement. We suggest how these approaches can be combined to automate design, modeling, analysis, simulation, and quantitative fitting of measured data from a synthetic biological operational amplifier circuit in living microbial cells.

SUBMITTER: Teo JJY

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7607449 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The Merging of Biological and Electronic Circuits.

Teo Jonathan J Y JJY Sarpeshkar Rahul R

iScience 20201015 11

Biological circuits and systems within even a single cell need to be represented by large-scale feedback networks of nonlinear, stochastic, stiff, asynchronous, non-modular coupled differential equations governing complex molecular interactions. Thus, rational drug discovery and synthetic biological design is difficult. We suggest that a four-pronged interdisciplinary approach merging biology and electronics can help: (1) The mapping of biological circuits to electronic circuits via quantitative ...[more]

PMID: 33163942

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The Merging of Biological and Electronic Circuits.

Publications

The Merging of Biological and Electronic Circuits.

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