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Preparation, Purification, and Use of Fatty Acid-containing Liposomes
Published on: February 9, 2018
The FMO complex in a glycerol-water mixture
Mortaza Aghtar1, Johan Strümpfer, Carsten Olbrich
1School of Engineering and Science, Jacobs University Bremen, Campus Ring 1, 28759 Bremen, Germany.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B
|May 24, 2013
Summary
Quantum coherence in photosynthetic complexes like the Fenna-Matthews-Olson (FMO) complex is explored. Simulations reveal static disorder at 77 K, offering insights into long-lived quantum effects.
Area of Science:
- Quantum Biology
- Photosynthesis Research
- Computational Biophysics
Background:
- Experimental evidence shows long-lived quantum coherence in photosynthetic complexes.
- Theoretical studies aim to explain this phenomenon in systems like the Fenna-Matthews-Olson (FMO) complex.
Purpose of the Study:
- To perform simulations of the FMO complex under specific experimental conditions (310 K and 77 K).
- To investigate the role of solvent dynamics and disorder in quantum coherence.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an improved quantum procedure for simulations.
- Calculated spectral densities for individual pigments within the FMO complex.
- Simulated the FMO complex in glycerol-water mixtures at different temperatures.
Main Results:
- Spectral densities obtained at ambient temperature align well with experimental estimates.
- Simulations at 77 K suggest the presence of static disorder due to slow solvent dynamics.
- This disorder occurs on a timescale longer than that relevant for spectral density construction.
Conclusions:
- The study provides a theoretical framework for understanding quantum coherence in photosynthetic systems.
- Identified static disorder as a significant factor influencing quantum phenomena at low temperatures.
- Results contribute to explaining the long-lived quantum coherence observed experimentally.
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