Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Electron Tunneling in Biology: When Does it Matter?

Version 1 : Received: 12 November 2022 / Approved: 14 November 2022 / Online: 14 November 2022 (02:52:47 CET)

How to cite: Sarhangi, S.M.; Matyushov, D.V. Electron Tunneling in Biology: When Does it Matter?. Preprints 2022, 2022110232. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202211.0232.v1 Sarhangi, S.M.; Matyushov, D.V. Electron Tunneling in Biology: When Does it Matter?. Preprints 2022, 2022110232. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202211.0232.v1

Abstract

Electron can tunnel between cofactor molecules positioned along biological electron transport chains up to the distance of ≃20 Å on the millisecond time scale of enzymatic turnover. This tunneling range mostly determines the design of biological energy chains facilitating cross-membrane transport of electrons. Tunneling distance and cofactors’ redox potentials become main physical parameters of this design. The protein identity, flexibility, or dynamics are missing from this picture assigning universal charge-transport properties to all proteins. This paradigm is challenged by dynamical models of electron transfer showing that the hopping rate is constant within the crossover distance R*≃12 Å, followed with an exponential tunneling falloff at longer distances. In this view, energy chains for electron transport are best designed by placing redox cofactors near the crossover distance R*. Protein flexibility and dynamics affect the magnitude of the maximum hopping rate within the crossover radius. Protein charge transport is not driven by universal parameters anymore and protein identity matters.

Keywords

Protein electron transfer; tunneling; protein dynamics; electrowetting; Stokes-shift dy-namics

Subject

Chemistry and Materials Science, Physical Chemistry

Comments (0)

We encourage comments and feedback from a broad range of readers. See criteria for comments and our Diversity statement.

Leave a public comment
Send a private comment to the author(s)
* All users must log in before leaving a comment
Views 0
Downloads 0
Comments 0
Metrics 0


×
Alerts
Notify me about updates to this article or when a peer-reviewed version is published.
We use cookies on our website to ensure you get the best experience.
Read more about our cookies here.