TITLE:

A Discrete Approach to Model Gene Regulatory Networks
and the Use of Formal Logic to Propose New Wet Experiments


ABSTRACT:

Based on the discrete definition of biological regulatory networks developped
by René Thomas, we provide a computer science formal approach to treat
temporal properties of biological regulatory networks, expressed in
Computational Tree Logic.

It is then possible to automatically compute all the models whose behaviour
satisfies a set of given temporal properties. The chosen temporal properties
can reflect established knowledge about the model as well as hypotheses which
motivate the biological research.

If the set of computed models is not empty, then we can manipulate the
temporal formulae which formalize the hypotheses in a computer aided manner,
according to some logical rules. This allows us to derive a set of sensible
wet experiments capable to refute or validate the hypotheses.

Our approach is illustrated on the cytotoxicity example in Pseudomonas
aeruginosa.