A SAT-based approach to decipher Gene Regulatory Networks

Computer tools are needed in systems biology to analyse qualitatively the dynamics of Gene Regulatory Networks (GRNs). Particularly, biologists are interested in infering these networks from observed behaviours. In this paper we present a Boolean satisfiability (SAT) approach applied on a widely used asynchronous logical description of such networks. After a brief presentation of the asynchronous logical formalism, we explain how we express into constraints the evolution rule of GRNs. Then, we show how to translate efficiently these constraints into Boolean formulae. We finally report results about infering parameters of a biological model of the λ-phage immunity control. Our study shows that SAT solving is a powerful tool for analysing GRNs and related transition systems found in biological applications.