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Published on: October 23, 2018
Nonlinear mechanism for weak photon emission from biosystems.
1Department of Nonlinear Condensed Matter Physics, Bogolyubov Institute for Theoretical Physics, Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences, Metrologichna Str., 14-b, 03680 Kyiv, Ukraine. brizhik@bitp.kiev.ua
Indian Journal of Experimental Biology
|August 14, 2008
Summary
Weak biophoton emission in biological systems originates from nonlinear soliton dynamics within alpha-helical proteins. These Davydov
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Molecular Biology
- Quantum Biology
Background:
- Biological systems exhibit weak biophoton emission, a phenomenon not fully explained by classical physics.
- Metabolic processes involve energy transfer and charge transport, suggesting underlying quantum or nonlinear mechanisms.
- Alpha-helical proteins are abundant in biological systems and possess unique structural properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a nonlinear mechanism for weak biophoton emission.
- To investigate the role of solitons in energy and charge transport in biological systems.
- To elucidate the formation, stability, and properties of solitons in alpha-helical proteins.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical modeling of nonlinear dynamics in macromolecules.
- Analysis of electron-phonon interactions leading to self-trapping.
- Calculation of soliton properties, including energy, structure, and radiative lifetime.
Main Results:
- Davydov's solitons, formed via electron-phonon interaction in alpha-helical proteins, are proposed as the origin of biophoton emission.
- Helical symmetry is crucial for soliton formation, stability, and dynamics.
- The lowest energy soliton exhibits a many-hump envelope, and its radiative lifetime is significantly longer than excitations on isolated peptide groups.
Conclusions:
- Nonlinear soliton dynamics provide a plausible mechanism for weak biophoton emission from biological systems.
- Davydov's solitons play a key role in energy and charge transport within alpha-helical proteins.
- The unique structure and properties of solitons contribute to their extended radiative lifetime, impacting biological processes.
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