Towards Biochemical Filter with Sigmoidal Response to pH Changes: Buffered Biocatalytic Signal Transduction

TL;DR

This paper introduces a biochemical filter with a sigmoidal pH response, using buffering in a biocatalytic system to enhance biochemical information processing capabilities.

Contribution

It demonstrates a novel buffering approach to create a biochemical filter with sigmoidal pH response, expanding the complexity of biochemical signal processing systems.

Findings

Successful implementation of a buffering-based biochemical filter

Kinetic modeling validates the filter's performance

Enhanced potential for complex biochemical information processing

Abstract

We realize a biochemical filtering process by introducing a buffer in a biocatalytic signal-transduction logic system based on the function of an enzyme, esterase. The input, ethyl butyrate, is converted into butyric acid-the output signal, which in turn is measured by the drop in the pH value. The developed approach offers a versatile "network element" for increasing the complexity of biochemical information processing systems. Evaluation of an optimal regime for quality filtering is accomplished in the framework of a kinetic rate-equation model.