Information transfer through a signaling module with feedback: A perturbative approach. (October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Aquino, Gerardo; Zapotocky, Martin
• Is Part Of: Bio systems. Volume 136(2015:Oct.)
• Page Start: 66
• Page End: 72
• Publication Date: 2015-10
• Subjects: Signal transduction -- Communication channel -- Poisson process -- Information theory -- Feedback loop -- Non-Markovian process; Biological systems -- Periodicals; Biology -- Periodicals; Biology -- Periodicals; Evolution -- Periodicals; Biologie -- Périodiques; Évolution -- Périodiques; 570
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2015.08.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0303-2647

Abstract

Abstract: Signal transduction in biological cells is effected by signaling pathways that typically include multiple feedback loops. Here we analyze information transfer through a prototypical signaling module with biochemical feedback. The module switches stochastically between an inactive and active state; the input to the module governs the activation rate while the output (i.e., the product concentration) perturbs the inactivation rate. Using a novel perturbative approach, we compute the rate with which information about the input is gained from observation of the output. We obtain an explicit analytical result valid to first order in feedback strength and to second order in the strength of input. The total information gained during an extended time interval is found to depend on the feedback strength only through the total number of activation/inactivation events.