Abstract: A method for cell-based combinatorial logic includes the steps of providing at least one genetically engineered cell, the genetically engineered cell having at least one transcriptional unit. The transcriptional unit includes a gene and a promoter, wherein application of a stimulus to the promoter results in the expression of a gene product. An energetic or chemical stimulus is applied to activate the promoter, wherein the detection of an output signal corresponds to the presence of a gene product. The cell can include a plurality of transcriptional units configured to form logic gates. The logic gates of a plurality of cells can be operably interconnected by release of output signals, such as chemical stimuli.

Abstract: An in-vivo cellular logic device includes a substrate and a structure for providing a stimulus to a plurality of discrete portions of the substrate. At least one whole cell is disposed on the substrate, the cell having at least one transcriptional unit, the transcriptional unit comprising a gene and a promoter. Upon application of a stimulus to the promoter, a gene product is expressed. A detector is provided to detect the presence of the gene product, the gene product preferably conferring a bioluminescent output. The cell can be genetically engineered. A method for processing data includes the steps of providing at least one genetically engineered cell, the genetically engineered cell having at least one transcriptional unit. The transcriptional unit includes a gene and a promoter, wherein application of a stimulus to the promoter results in the expression of a gene product.

Abstract: The differential display (DD) technique, widely used previously for eukaryotic gene discovery, is optimized to detect differential mRNA transcription (an expressed gene) from both pure culture and soil derived bacterial RNA. A model system using toluene induction of TodC1 in Pseudomonas putida F1 is used to optimize the procedure. Once optimized, an arbitrary primer for the RT step in conjunction with the same arbitrary primer and a Shine-Dalgarno (SD) primer for the PCR reaction is used to detect the expressed gene. The invention thus provides a method for discovery and acquisition of novel genes from environmental microbial communities that avoids the traditional steps and inherent bias due to the culturing of environmental isolates.