Boolean gates on actin filaments

• We simulate interaction between voltage pulses using on actin filaments.
• We use a coupled nonlinear transmission line model.
• We design Boolean logical gates via interactions between the voltage pulses.
• We construct one-bit half-adder with interacting voltage pulses.

Actin is a globular protein which forms long polar filaments in the eukaryotic cytoskeleton. Actin networks play a key role in cell mechanics and cell motility. They have also been implicated in information transmission and processing, memory and learning in neuronal cells. The actin filaments have been shown to support propagation of voltage pulses. Here we apply a coupled nonlinear transmission line model of actin filaments to study interactions between voltage pulses. To represent digital information we assign a logical Truth value to the presence of a voltage pulse in a given location of the actin filament, and False to the pulse's absence, so that information flows along the filament with pulse transmission. When two pulses, representing Boolean values of input variables, interact, then they can facilitate or inhibit further propagation of each other. We explore this phenomenon to construct Boolean logical gates and a one-bit half-adder with interacting voltage pulses. We discuss implications of these findings on cellular process and technological applications.