Many biological systems require extensive networks to transport resources and information. Biological networks must trade-off network efficiency with the risk of network failure. Yet, biological networks develop in the absence of centralised control from the interactions of many components. Moreover, many biological systems need to be able to adapt when conditions change and the network require...

In previous work the chemotaxis toward simple organic chemicals was assessed. We utilize the knowledge gained from these chemotactic assays to route Physarum polycephalum "signals" at a series of junctions. By applying chemical inputs at a simple T-junction we were able to reproducibly control the path taken by the plasmodium of P. Polycephalum. Where the chemoattractant farnesene was used at o...

Self-organized mechanisms are frequently encountered in nature and known to achieve flexible, adaptive control and decision-making. Noise plays a crucial role in such systems: It can enable a self-organized system to reliably adapt to short-term changes in the environment while maintaining a generally stable behavior. This is fundamental in biological systems because they must strike a delicate...

This paper reports on the outcomes of an approach to granular synthesis using the biological computing substrate Physarum polycephalum. The plasmodium of Physarum Polycephalum is unicellular with a myriad of diploid nuclei, which moves like a giant amoeba in its pursuit of food. The organism is amorphous, and although without a brain or any serving centre of control, can respond to the environm...

U1 RNAs were isolated from P. polycephalum microplasmodia nuclei and sequenced. A P. polycephalum gene coding for U1 RNA was also isolated. The coding region of this gene differs at 3 positions compared to the isolated U1 RNA species. Both isolated RNAs and the gene encoded RNA can be folded according to the secondary structure model previously proposed for U1 RNA. Putative regulatory elements ...

Roots of the medicinal plant Valeriana officinalis are well-studied for their various biological activities. We applied genetically transformed V. officinalis root biomass to exert control of Physarum polycephalum, an amoeba-based emergent computing substrate. The plasmodial stage of the P. polycephalum life cycle constitutes a single, multinucleate cell visible by unaided eye. The plasmodium m...

Background and objective: Epilepsy one the most prevalent neurological illness which affects behavioral statuses like anxiety, depression and balance. Based on the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of Tanacetum polycephalum, its effect on anxiety and depression caused by pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-kindling in rats was investigated. Methods : In order to prepare the required extract, ae...

In the paper, we present foundations of a new object-oriented programming language for Physarum polycephalum computing. Both, theoretical foundations and assumptions for a language specification are considered. Physarum polycephalum is a one-cell organism. In the phase of plasmodium, its behavior can be regarded as a biological substrate that implements the Kolmogorov-Uspensky machine which is ...

In the paper, we show that timed transition system models can be used as a high-level model of behavior of Physarum machines. A Physarum machine is a programmable amorphous biological computer experimentally implemented in the vegetative state of Physarum polycephalum. Timed transition system models have been used in our new object-oriented programming language for Physarum polycephalum computing.