“Electrochemical Potential Enables Dormant Spores to Integrate Environmental Signals”, Kaito Kikuchi, Leticia Galera-laporta, Colleen Weatherwax, Jamie Y. Lam, Eun Chae Moon, Emmanuel A. Theodorakis, Jordi Garcia-Ojalvo, Gürol M. Süel2022-10-06 (biology, information theory, neuroscience)⁠:

The dormant state of bacterial spores is generally thought to be devoid of biological activity. We show that despite continued dormancy, spores can integrate environmental signals over time through a preexisting electrochemical potential. Specifically, we studied thousands of individual Bacillus subtilis spores that remain dormant when exposed to transient nutrient pulses. Guided by a mathematical model of bacterial electrophysiology, we modulated the decision to exit dormancy by genetically and chemically targeting potassium ion flux.

We confirmed that short nutrient pulses result in step-like changes in the electrochemical potential of persistent spores. During dormancy, spores thus gradually release their stored electrochemical potential to integrate extracellular information over time.

These findings reveal a decision-making mechanism that operates in physiologically inactive cells.