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Memfractance of Proteinoids
Panagiotis Mougkogiannis1, Andrew Adamatzky1
1Unconventional Computing Laboratory, UWE, Bristol BS16 1QY, U.K.
ACS Omega
|April 8, 2024
Summary
Proteinoids exhibit capacitive memfractance in hydroxyapatite solutions, showing spikes in electrical measurements that correlate with proteinoid concentration. This suggests proteinoids can store electrical charge, relevant for protocellular membrane models.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Materials Science
- Origin of Life Research
Background:
- Proteinoids, or thermal proteins, are non-biological polymers of amino acids formed under high temperatures.
- Understanding the electrical properties of proteinoids is crucial for modeling early cellular structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the memfractance characteristics of proteinoids in a supersaturated hydroxyapatite solution.
- To explore the electrical behavior of proteinoids and their potential role in protocellular membranes.
Main Methods:
- Current-voltage (I-V) measurements were conducted on proteinoids within an ionic solution (0.15 mol/L ionic strength, 37 °C, pH 7.4).
- Analysis of I-V curves to identify electrical phenomena, specifically spikes attributed to capacitive charging and discharging.
Main Results:
- Distinct spikes were observed in the I-V curves of proteinoid-hydroxyapatite media.
- A positive correlation was found between proteinoid concentration and the number of spikes.
- Memfractance behavior indicated proteinoids' capacity for electrical charge retention in hydrated hydroxyapatite.
Conclusions:
- The observed spikes support the hypothesis of capacitive charging and discharging within the proteinoid-hydroxyapatite system.
- Proteinoids demonstrate memcapacitive properties, suggesting a role in primitive membrane functions.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate memcapacitive phenomena and their implications for protocellular membrane models.
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