Repulsive particle interactions enable selective information processing at cellular interfaces

TL;DR

This paper uncovers a physical mechanism where repulsive particle interactions at cellular interfaces enable selective, threshold-based information processing, demonstrated through both theoretical modeling and experimental microscopy data.

Contribution

It introduces a novel physical mechanism for selective information transmission at cellular interfaces based on particle interactions and spatial thresholding.

Findings

Surface-bound particle densities respond sigmoidal to external spatial features.

The mechanism enables binary classification of external cues.

Experimental data from nuclear pore complexes support the model.

Abstract

Living systems relay information across membrane interfaces to coordinate compartment functions. We identify a physical mechanism for selective information transmission that arises from the sigmoidal response of surface-bound particle densities to spatial features in adjacent external structures through a non-uniform binding energy. This mechanism implements a form of spatial thresholding, enabling the binary classification of external cues. Expansion microscopy measurements of nuclear pore complex distributions in S. arctica show signatures of such physical thresholding.