Proto-Neurons from Abiotic Polypeptides

Mougkogiannis, Panagiotis; Adamatzky, Andrew

doi:10.3390/encyclopedia4010034

Cited by 3 publications

References 200 publications

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Kombucha–Proteinoid Crystal Bioelectric Circuits

Mougkogiannis,

Nikolaidou,

Adamatzky

2024

ACS Omega

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We propose "kombucha−proteinoid crystal bioelectric circuits" as a sustainable bio-computing platform. These circuits are hybrid biological-inorganic devices that utilize crystal growth dynamics as the physical substrate to convert information. Microfluidic prototypes couple custom-synthesized thermal proteinoids within kombucha cellulose matrices and metastable calcium carbonate solutions. This bio-mineral configuration examines if precision modulation of crystal growth rates could instantiate reconfigurable logic gates for unconventional computing applications. Programming organic acid secretions allows for the adjustment of biotic-mineral polarity, thereby establishing microbial-synthetic pairings that consistently regulate the crystal growth rate of calcite deposition. By coordinating intrinsic physicochemical phenomena, accrued mineral densities literally crystallize additive/multiplicative operations via Boolean AND/OR logics. An additional way to generate structured logics similar of neural assemblies is by chaining modular crystallizer units. Proteinoid-guided carbonate crystallization may prove to be a viable material platform for unconventional computing-green, self-organizing, scalable architectures grown directly from solution-pending definitive affirmation of proof-of-concept.

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Kombucha–Proteinoid Crystal Bioelectric Circuits

Mougkogiannis,

Nikolaidou,

Adamatzky

2024

ACS Omega

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On effect of chloroform on electrical activity of proteinoids

Mougkogiannis,

Adamatzky

2023

Preprint

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Proteinoids, or thermal proteins, produce hollow microspheres in aqueous solution. Ensembles of the microspheres produce endogenous spikes of electrical activity, similar to that of neurons. To make a first step towards evaluation of the mechanisms of such electrical behaviour we decided to expose proteinoids to chloroform. We found that while chloroform does not inhibit the electrical oscillations of proteinoids it causes substantial changes in the patterns of electrical activity. Namely, incremental chloroform exposure strongly affect proteinoid microsphere electrical activity across multiple metrics. As chloroform levels rise, the spike potential drops from 0.9 mV under control conditions to 0.1~mV at 25 mg/mL. This progressive spike potential decrease suggests chloroform suppresses proteinoid electrical activity. The time between spikes, the interspike period, follows a similar pattern. Minimal chloroform exposure does not change the average interspike period, while higher exposures do. It drops from 23.2~min under control experiments to 3.8~min at 25 mg/mL chloroform, indicating increased frequency of the electrical activity. These findings might leads to deeper understanding of the electrical activity of proteinoids and their potential application in the domain of bioelectronics.

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The Effects of Omeprazole on the Neuron-like Spiking of the Electrical Potential of Proteinoid Microspheres

Mougkogiannis,

Adamatzky

2024

Molecules

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This study examines a new approach to hybrid neuromorphic devices by studying the impact of omeprazole–proteinoid complexes on Izhikevich neuron models. We investigate the influence of these metabolic structures on five specific patterns of neuronal firing: accommodation, chattering, triggered spiking, phasic spiking, and tonic spiking. By combining omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor, with proteinoids, we create a unique substrate that interfaces with neuromorphic models. The Izhikevich neuron model is used because it is computationally efficient and can accurately simulate the various behaviours of cortical neurons. The results of our simulations show that omeprazole–proteinoid complexes have the ability to affect neuronal dynamics in different ways. This suggests that they could be used as adjustable components in bio-inspired computer systems. We noticed a notable alteration in the frequency of spikes, patterns of bursts, and rates of adaptation, especially in chattering and triggered spiking behaviours. The findings indicate that omeprazole–proteinoid complexes have the potential to serve as adaptable elements in neuromorphic systems, presenting novel opportunities for information processing and computation that have origins in neurobiological principles. This study makes a valuable contribution to the expanding field of biochemical neuromorphic devices and establishes a basis for the development of hybrid bio-synthetic computational systems.

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Proto-Neurons from Abiotic Polypeptides

Cited by 3 publications

References 200 publications

Kombucha–Proteinoid Crystal Bioelectric Circuits

Kombucha–Proteinoid Crystal Bioelectric Circuits

On effect of chloroform on electrical activity of proteinoids

The Effects of Omeprazole on the Neuron-like Spiking of the Electrical Potential of Proteinoid Microspheres

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