Barnett, Samuel and Goult, Benjamin 
ORCID: 0000-0002-3438-2807
(2022)
The MeshCODE to scale – Visualising synaptic binary information.
[Preprint]
Abstract
The Mercator projection map of the world provides a useful, but distorted, view of the relative scale of countries. Current cellular models suffer from a similar distortion. Here, we undertook an in-depth structural analysis of the molecular dimensions in the cell’s computational machinery, the MeshCODE, that is assembled from a meshwork of binary switches in the scaffolding proteins talin and vinculin. Talin contains a series of force-dependent binary switches and each domain switching state introduces quantised step-changes in talin length on a micrometre scale. The average dendritic spine is 1 µm in diameter so this analysis identifies a plausible Gearbox-like mechanism for dynamic regulation of synaptic function, whereby the positioning of enzymes and substrates relative to each other, mechanically-encoded by the MeshCODE switch patterns, might control synaptic transmission. Based on biophysical rules and experimentally derived distances, this analysis yields a novel perspective on biological digital information.
| Item Type: | Preprint |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Neurosciences, 1.1 Normal biological development and functioning, 1 Underpinning research, Generic health relevance |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology |
| Depositing User: | Symplectic Admin |
| Date Deposited: | 13 Mar 2024 10:01 |
| Last Modified: | 15 Mar 2024 20:50 |
| DOI: | 10.1101/2022.06.16.496395 |
| Open Access URL: | https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.06.16.496395 |
| Related URLs: | |
| URI: | https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3179303 |
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