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Optical Quantum Control of the Electron Transfer Reactions in Protein Flavodoxin
Na Liu1, Yifei Zhang2, Xi Wang1
1Center for Ultrafast Science and Technology, School of Physics and Astronomy, Zhang Jiang Institute for Advanced Study, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B
|November 1, 2024
Summary
Researchers achieved optical quantum control over ultrafast electron transfer (ET) in flavodoxin protein using chirped pulses. This control, influencing ET rates by twofold, opens new avenues for biological quantum control.
Area of Science:
- Quantum control
- Biophysics
- Ultrafast spectroscopy
Background:
- Optical quantum control modulates biological processes like energy transfer.
- Electron transfer (ET) is fundamental to biological functions.
- Controlling biological ET reactions with quantum methods is significant.
Purpose of the Study:
- To achieve optical quantum control over ultrafast ET processes in flavodoxin.
- To investigate the influence of chirped excitation pulses on ET dynamics.
- To explore the mechanism of quantum control in biological ET.
Main Methods:
- Application of various chirped excitation pulses.
- Observation of wavepacket dynamics within a dephasing time of <1 ps.
- Analysis of electron transfer (ET) and back ET (BET) reaction dynamics.
Main Results:
- Ultrafast photoinduced ET rates were controlled by chirped excitations, with changes up to a factor of 2.
- Control effects propagated to subsequent ultrafast back ET (BET) reactions.
- Differently prepared wavepackets evolved along various pathways, altering ET rates.
Conclusions:
- Optical quantum control of ultrafast biological ET was successfully demonstrated in flavodoxin.
- Chirped pulse excitation enables control over ET and BET dynamics.
- This work opens new possibilities for exploring quantum control in real biological ET reactions.
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