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Fridge Compiler: Optimal Circuits from Molecular Inventories

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Computational Methods in Systems Biology (CMSB 2023)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNBI,volume 14137))

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Abstract

Rationally designed molecular circuits describable by well-mixed chemical reaction kinetics can realize arbitrary Boolean function computation yet differ significantly from their electronic counterparts. The design, preparation, and purification of new molecular components poses significant barriers. Consequently, it is desirable to synthesize circuits from an existing “fridge” inventory of distinguishable parts, while satisfying constraints such as component compatibility. Heuristic synthesis techniques intended for large electronic circuits often result in non-optimal molecular circuits, invalid circuits that violate domain-specific constraints, or circuits that cannot be built with the current inventory. Existing “exact” synthesis techniques are able to find minimal feedforward Boolean circuits with complex constraints, but do not map to distinguishable inventory components.

We present the Fridge Compiler, an SMT-based approach to find optimal Boolean circuits within a given molecular inventory. Empirical results demonstrate the Fridge Compiler’s versatility in synthesizing arbitrary Boolean functions using three different molecular architectures, while satisfying user-specified constraints. We showcase the successful synthesis of all 256 three-bit and 65,536 four-bit predicate functions using a large custom inventory, with worst-case completion times of only seconds on a modern laptop. In addition, we introduce a unique class of cyclic molecular circuits that cover a larger number of Boolean functions than their conventional counterparts over a common inventory, often with significantly smaller implementations. Importantly, and absent in previous approaches specific to molecular circuits, the Fridge Compiler is logically sound, complete, and optimal for the user-specified cost function and component inventory.

Supported by an NSF grant (CCF 2106695) and a Faculty Early Career Development Award from NSF (CCF 2143227).

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Correspondence to Lancelot Wathieu or Chris Thachuk .

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Wathieu, L., Smith, G., Ceze, L., Thachuk, C. (2023). Fridge Compiler: Optimal Circuits from Molecular Inventories. In: Pang, J., Niehren, J. (eds) Computational Methods in Systems Biology. CMSB 2023. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 14137. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-42697-1_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-42697-1_16

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