中国物理B ›› 2024, Vol. 33 ›› Issue (8): 88703-088703.doi: 10.1088/1674-1056/ad4cda

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Tuning the diffusion constant to optimize the readout of positional information of spatial concentration patterns

Ka Kit Kong(江嘉杰)1, Chunxiong Luo(罗春雄)1,2,3, and Feng Liu(刘峰)4,†   

  1. 1 The State Key Laboratory for Artificial Microstructures and Mesoscopic Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China;
    2 Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China;
    3 Wenzhou Institute University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou 325001, China;
    4 Key Laboratory of Hebei Province for Molecular Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, School of Health Science & Biomedical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300130, China
  • 收稿日期:2024-04-08 修回日期:2024-05-07 出版日期:2024-08-15 发布日期:2024-07-29
  • 通讯作者: Feng Liu E-mail:liufeng@hebut.edu.cn
  • 基金资助:
    Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 32271293 and 11875076).

Tuning the diffusion constant to optimize the readout of positional information of spatial concentration patterns

Ka Kit Kong(江嘉杰)1, Chunxiong Luo(罗春雄)1,2,3, and Feng Liu(刘峰)4,†   

  1. 1 The State Key Laboratory for Artificial Microstructures and Mesoscopic Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China;
    2 Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China;
    3 Wenzhou Institute University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou 325001, China;
    4 Key Laboratory of Hebei Province for Molecular Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, School of Health Science & Biomedical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300130, China
  • Received:2024-04-08 Revised:2024-05-07 Online:2024-08-15 Published:2024-07-29
  • Contact: Feng Liu E-mail:liufeng@hebut.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 32271293 and 11875076).

摘要: Positional information encoded in spatial concentration patterns is crucial for the development of multicellular organisms. However, it is still unclear how such information is affected by the physically dissipative diffusion process. Here we study one-dimensional patterning systems with analytical derivation and numerical simulations. We find that the diffusion constant of the patterning molecules exhibits a nonmonotonic effect on the readout of the positional information from the concentration patterns. Specifically, there exists an optimal diffusion constant that maximizes the positional information. Moreover, we find that the energy dissipation due to the physical diffusion imposes a fundamental upper limit on the positional information.

关键词: pattern formation, positional information, mutual information, diffusion

Abstract: Positional information encoded in spatial concentration patterns is crucial for the development of multicellular organisms. However, it is still unclear how such information is affected by the physically dissipative diffusion process. Here we study one-dimensional patterning systems with analytical derivation and numerical simulations. We find that the diffusion constant of the patterning molecules exhibits a nonmonotonic effect on the readout of the positional information from the concentration patterns. Specifically, there exists an optimal diffusion constant that maximizes the positional information. Moreover, we find that the energy dissipation due to the physical diffusion imposes a fundamental upper limit on the positional information.

Key words: pattern formation, positional information, mutual information, diffusion

中图分类号:  (Spatiotemporal pattern formation in cellular populations)

  • 87.18.Hf
87.19.lo (Information theory) 87.15.Vv (Diffusion)