中国科学院深圳先进技术研究院金帆团队研究了细菌第二信使信息传递的量化。2025年3月27日，《自然—物理学》杂志发表了这一成果。

细菌的第二信使对于将环境信息传递给细胞至关重要。然而，量化它们的信息传输能力仍然具有挑战性。研究组开发了一个用于量化蜂窝信号系统中信息处理的框架。他们使用靶向基因敲除、光遗传学和荧光cAMP探针在铜绿假单胞菌中构建了一个分离的环磷酸腺苷（cAMP）信号通道。

这种设计能够实现精确的光学控制和cAMP动态的实时监测。通过将实验数据与信息理论相结合，研究组揭示了光介导的cAMP信号传导的最佳频率，该频率可最大限度地提高信息传输，达到每小时约40比特。该速率与cAMP降解动力学密切相关，并使用双态编码方案。该发现表明了一种通过第二信使信号的时间编码对多个基因进行微调调节的机制，为细菌适应策略提供了见解。

附：英文原文

Title: Quantifying second-messenger information transmission in bacteria

Author: Xiong, Jiarui, Wang, Liang, Lin, Jialun, Ni, Lei, Zhang, Rongrong, Yang, Shuai, Huang, Yajia, Chu, Jun, Jin, Fan

Issue&Volume: 2025-03-27

Abstract: Bacterial second messengers are crucial for transmitting environmental information to cells. However, quantifying their information transmission capacity remains challenging. Here we develop a framework for quantifying information processing in cellular signalling systems. We engineer an isolated cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signalling channel in Pseudomonas aeruginosa using targeted gene knockouts, optogenetics and a fluorescent cAMP probe. This design enables precise optical control and real-time monitoring of cAMP dynamics. By integrating experimental data with information theory, we reveal the optimal frequency for light-mediated cAMP signalling that maximizes information transmission, reaching about 40 bits per hour. This rate correlates strongly with cAMP degradation kinetics and uses a two-state encoding scheme. Our findings suggest a mechanism for fine-tuned regulation of multiple genes through temporal encoding of second-messenger signals, providing insights into bacterial adaptation strategies.

DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-02848-2

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-025-02848-2