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Updated: Apr 10, 2026

Study of Protein Dynamics via Neutron Spin Echo Spectroscopy
Published on: April 13, 2022
Decoherence and spin echo in biological systems
Alexander I Nesterov1, Gennady P Berman2
1Departamento de Física, CUCEI, Universidad de Guadalajara, Av. Revolución 1500, Guadalajara, CP 44420, Jalisco, México.
Abstract:
The spin-echo approach is extended to include biocomplexes for which the interaction with dynamical noise, produced by the protein environment, is strong. Significant restoration of the free induction decay signal due to homogeneous (decoherence) and inhomogeneous (dephasing) broadening is demonstrated analytically and numerically for both an individual dimer of interacting chlorophylls and for an ensemble of dimers. Our approach does not require the use of small interaction constants between the electron states and the protein fluctuations. It is based on an exact and closed system of ordinary differential equations that can be easily solved for a wide range of parameters that are relevant for bioapplications.
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