Figure 3. Workflow for digital gene circuit design.

The overall procedure of constructing a digital, synthetic, gene circuit starts with the network automatic design that uses our computational tool based on the Karnaugh map method (blue boxes). A solution, normally the least complex one, undergoes other simulations to check and, if necessary, improve its performance and robustness (orange boxes). Finally, if the (optimized) solution meets the necessary requisites for a faithful reproduction of the corresponding truth table, it is implemented in the lab, otherwise another circuit solution has to be taken into account.