A Kernel P System

A basic P system, called kernel P system (kP system for short), covering features of different P systems introduced and studied so far is defined and discussed. It is a relatively low level specification system aiming to cover features exhibited by most of the problems modelled so far using P system formalisms. A small set of rules and specific strategies to run the system step by step are presented. Some preliminary results regarding the relationships between kP systems and other classes of P systems, like neural-like P systems and P systems with active membranes, are presented. Examples illustrating the behaviour of kP systems or showing how a sorting algorithm is modelled with various classes of P systems are provided. Further developments of this class of P systems are finally briefly discussed.