Propagation and amplification of molecular information using a photoresponsive molecular switch

Abstract

Molecular communication is a bio-inspired communication paradigm using molecules as information carriers. The molecular communication system includes propagation of information carrier molecules between a molecular sender and a molecular receiver and followed by amplification of the information at the receiver. In this article, we built an example molecular communication system using a gemini peptide lipid as a molecular switch. The molecular switch embedded in the lipid bilayer membranes exhibited photoresponsive recognition behaviour towards metal ions, such as Cu2+ and Zn2+, to control propagation of molecular capsules formed by small liposomes to a giant liposomal receiver. In addition, the molecular switch acted as an artificial receptor in the receiver, receiving a photonic signal to communicate with an enzyme as a signal amplifier by using Cu2+ ion as a mediator between the receptor and the amplifier.