Modulation of electrical activity of proteinoid microspheres with chondroitin sulfate clusters.

Proteinoids-thermal proteins-are produced by heating amino acids to their melting point and initiation of polymerisation to produce polymeric chains. Proteinoids swell in aqueous solution into hollow microspheres. The proteinoid microspheres produce endogenous burst of electrical potential spikes an...

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Main Authors: Panagiotis Mougkogiannis, Andrew Adamatzky
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2024-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0313077
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author Panagiotis Mougkogiannis
Andrew Adamatzky
author_facet Panagiotis Mougkogiannis
Andrew Adamatzky
author_sort Panagiotis Mougkogiannis
collection DOAJ
description Proteinoids-thermal proteins-are produced by heating amino acids to their melting point and initiation of polymerisation to produce polymeric chains. Proteinoids swell in aqueous solution into hollow microspheres. The proteinoid microspheres produce endogenous burst of electrical potential spikes and change patterns of their electrical activity in response to illumination. These microspheres were proposed as proto-neurons in 1950s. To evaluate pathways of potential evolution of these proto-neurons and their applicability of chimera neuromorphic circuits we decided to hybridise them with hondroitin sulphate (CS) clusters, which form a part of the brain extracellular matrix. We found a novel synergistic interaction between CS clusters and proteinoids that dramatically affects patterns of electrical activity of proteinoid microspheres. Our study might shed light on evolution of synaptic plasticity's molecular mechanisms and the role of extracellular matrix-protein interactions in learning, and open up possibilities for novel methods in unconventional computing and the development of adaptable, brain-inspired computational systems.
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spelling doaj-art-6009cddb379b41c28cceaedf9f3545762025-08-20T02:21:52ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032024-01-011912e031307710.1371/journal.pone.0313077Modulation of electrical activity of proteinoid microspheres with chondroitin sulfate clusters.Panagiotis MougkogiannisAndrew AdamatzkyProteinoids-thermal proteins-are produced by heating amino acids to their melting point and initiation of polymerisation to produce polymeric chains. Proteinoids swell in aqueous solution into hollow microspheres. The proteinoid microspheres produce endogenous burst of electrical potential spikes and change patterns of their electrical activity in response to illumination. These microspheres were proposed as proto-neurons in 1950s. To evaluate pathways of potential evolution of these proto-neurons and their applicability of chimera neuromorphic circuits we decided to hybridise them with hondroitin sulphate (CS) clusters, which form a part of the brain extracellular matrix. We found a novel synergistic interaction between CS clusters and proteinoids that dramatically affects patterns of electrical activity of proteinoid microspheres. Our study might shed light on evolution of synaptic plasticity's molecular mechanisms and the role of extracellular matrix-protein interactions in learning, and open up possibilities for novel methods in unconventional computing and the development of adaptable, brain-inspired computational systems.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0313077
spellingShingle Panagiotis Mougkogiannis
Andrew Adamatzky
Modulation of electrical activity of proteinoid microspheres with chondroitin sulfate clusters.
PLoS ONE
title Modulation of electrical activity of proteinoid microspheres with chondroitin sulfate clusters.
title_full Modulation of electrical activity of proteinoid microspheres with chondroitin sulfate clusters.
title_fullStr Modulation of electrical activity of proteinoid microspheres with chondroitin sulfate clusters.
title_full_unstemmed Modulation of electrical activity of proteinoid microspheres with chondroitin sulfate clusters.
title_short Modulation of electrical activity of proteinoid microspheres with chondroitin sulfate clusters.
title_sort modulation of electrical activity of proteinoid microspheres with chondroitin sulfate clusters
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0313077
work_keys_str_mv AT panagiotismougkogiannis modulationofelectricalactivityofproteinoidmicrosphereswithchondroitinsulfateclusters
AT andrewadamatzky modulationofelectricalactivityofproteinoidmicrosphereswithchondroitinsulfateclusters