A new study by scientists at the Moffitt Cancer Center in the United States suggests that cells possess a previously unknown information processing system independent of the genome, enabling them to rapidly respond to changes in their environment. The findings were published in a recent issue of the journal "iScience."
Image Source: "Interdisciplinary Science" Magazine
For decades, scientists have regarded DNA as the sole source of cellular information. This DNA blueprint guides cells in building proteins and controlling their fundamental functions. Now, Dipesh Nirola's team at the Moffitt Cancer Center has discovered a non-genomic information system. This system can collaborate with DNA, enabling cells to gather information from the environment and respond rapidly to changes.
The focus of this research is on the role of ion gradients on the cell membrane. These gradients are maintained by specialized pumps that require a significant amount of energy to generate different transmembrane potentials.
Researchers believe that these gradients form a vast information repository, allowing cells to continuously monitor their environment. When a point on the cell membrane receives information, it interacts with specialized gates within ion-specific channels. These gates then open, allowing ions to flow along pre-existing gradients, forming communication channels. Ion flux triggers a series of events near the membrane, enabling the cell to analyze and respond quickly to information. An increase or prolongation in ion flux leads to the self-assembly of microtubules and microfilaments into a cellular scaffold.
Typically, the cellular scaffold network provides mechanical support to cells, maintains cell shape, or aids in cell movement. However, researchers point out that proteins within the cell scaffold also act as excellent ion conductors, allowing the cell scaffold to function as a dynamic intracellular wiring network, transmitting ion-based information from the membrane to organelles such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and the cell nucleus. This system can respond rapidly to specific signals locally and also react to broader environmental changes.
This research challenges the implicit assumption in biology that the genome is the sole source of information. They propose a novel information network that enables rapid adaptation and complex communication necessary for cell survival. This information system likely plays a significant role in intercellular signaling, allowing multicellular organisms to function effectively.
