Figure 5

Homo-oligomer distribution model. (a) Fitting of protein with an even number of subunits to a homo-oligomer distribution (f_s = N/N_T) using the resource-precision model (f_s ∝ k/2^k), where N is the number of proteins with k identical subunits and N_T is the total number of proteins found in an organism. (b) Fitting of the biological information capacity (c(k)) by the capacity model c(k) = f_s × k, where fs is the homo-oligomer distribution (f_s = N/N_T) and k = log₂(M) is the bit number (M = 2^k is the signal level). (c) Fitting of the protein with an even number of subunits to a homo-oligomer distribution (f_s = N/N_T) in biological pathways, as determined by resource precision. Several monomers and proteins involved in these pathways but with unknown degrees of oligomerization were neglected. (d) Biological information capacity of the pathways.