Programming Living Cells to Function as Massively Parallel Computers

We have reprogrammed the genomes of living cells to construct massively parallel biological computers capable of processing two-dimensional images at a theoretical resolution of greater than 100 megapixels per square inch. First, we rewired a signal transduction pathway in Escherichia coli to express a pigment producing enzyme under the control of red light. We then use the engineered bacteria as pixels in biological film. Next, use the ´bacterial photography´ technology as tool for the engineering of a massively parallel biological computer which uses cell-cell communication to compute the edges (light-dark boundaries) within images.