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Published on: July 22, 2013
Conductance of a biomolecular wire
Iris Visoly-Fisher1, Kayvon Daie, Yuichi Terazono
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5601, USA. iris.visoly@asu.edu
Abstract:
Carotenoids (Car) act as "wires" that discharge unwanted electrons in the reaction center of higher plants. One step in this "side-path" electron conduction is thought to be mediated by Car oxidation. We have carried out direct measurements of the conductance of single-Car molecules under potential control in a membrane-mimicking environment, and we found that when Car are oxidized conductance is enhanced and the electronic decay constant (beta) is decreased. However, the neutral molecule may already be conductive enough to account for observed electron transfer rates.
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