These bacteria then use RNA recombinases packaged in viruses to send information about their location in the grid – and their colour value – to the undifferentiated bacteria in "unsolved" grid squares. The E. coli are "programmed" to accept RNA only from cells in the same row, column or block as themselves. The genetic information stored in the viral messages forbids the receiving bacteria from differentiating into the same colour as the transmitting bacteria, so by a process of elimination the undifferentiated cells establish which colour to adopt to "solve" the grid.
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