# Fast and Slow Signal Propagation in Abiotic Polypeptide Assemblies

## TL;DR

Abiotic proteinoid microspheres show complex electrical behaviors, including oscillations and responses to light, which could inform prebiotic systems and bio-inspired computing.

## Contribution

Quantification of electrical dynamics and morphological diversity in abiotic proteinoid assemblies using novel analytical frameworks.

## Key findings

- Proteinoid microspheres exhibit rapid voltage oscillations and long-term drifts with correlated signals across electrodes.
- Optical stimulation induces reproducible voltage responses and stabilization in proteinoid networks.
- Diverse morphologies in mixed amino acid systems correlate with unique electrical signatures.

## Abstract

Proteinoid microspheres—abiotically synthesized by thermal polymerization of amino acids—exhibit spontaneous electrical potential fluctuations despite lacking genetic material, membranes, or ion channels. Here, we quantify the electrical and structural dynamics of five proteinoid compositions using multi‐electrode differential recordings and high‐resolution electron microscopy. The assemblies display rapid voltage oscillations (timescales ≪1 min), long‐timescale drifts (hours to days), exponential relaxation, and correlated potential shifts across spatially separated electrode pairs (Pearson correlations 0.147–0.601, significantly above baseline noise levels, r<0.05), suggesting composition‐dependent patterns of electrical coupling. Optical stimulation induces reproducible voltage responses characterized by logarithmic drift and stimulus‐specific stabilization, indicating that proteinoid networks can modulate electrical pathways in response to external perturbations. Morphological analysis reveals that single‐amino‐acid systems create uniform microspheres (2–3 μm). In contrast, mixed compositions lead to varied structures. These include hollow spheres, lamellar extensions, and crystalline aggregates that can reach 129 μm. Each structure shows unique electrical signatures. We develop a quantitative framework based on algorithmic complexity (Lempel–Ziv), spatial coherence (phase‐locking value), and graph‐theoretical metrics (global efficiency, clustering coefficient) to characterize emergent dynamics in these abiotic networks. These results show that proteinoid assemblies have unique electrical properties based on their composition. This may help us understand prebiotic organization and inspire new types of bioinspired computing materials.

Proteinoid microspheres formed by thermal polymerization of amino acids exhibit spontaneous electrical potential fluctuations without genetic material, membranes, or ion channels. Multi‐electrode recordings and electron microscopy reveal composition‐dependent voltage oscillations, long‐term drifts, and correlated signals across electrodes. Optical stimulation produces reproducible responses and stabilization. Diverse microsphere morphologies show distinct electrical signatures, supporting emergent electrical coupling in abiotic networks.© 2026 WILEY‐VCH GmbH