Communication via FRET in Nanonetworks of Mobile Proteins

Abstract

A practical, biologically motivated case of protein complexes (immunoglobulin G and FcRII receptors) moving on the surface of mastcells, that are common parts of an immunological system, is investigated. Proteins are considered as nanomachines creating a nanonetwork. Accurate molecular models of the proteins and the fluorophores which act as their nanoantennas are used to simulate the communication between the nanomachines when they are close to each other. The theory of diffusion-based Brownian motion is applied to model movements of the proteins. It is assumed that fluorophore molecules send and receive signals using the Forster Resonance Energy Transfer. The probability of the efficient signal transfer and the respective bit error rate are calculated and discussed.