The protein dynamical transition is a pseudogap changeover

TL;DR

This paper proposes that the protein dynamical transition is a pseudogap changeover similar to phenomena in high-temperature superconductors, supported by universality arguments and experimental data.

Contribution

It establishes a novel connection between protein dynamical transition and pseudogap states, introducing an order parameter analogy and universality arguments.

Findings

Experimental data supports the pseudogap transition hypothesis.

The protein dynamical transition is linked to a pseudogap state.

A new theoretical framework for understanding protein dynamics is proposed.

Abstract

The emergence of biochemical activities in a protein seem to commence with the onset of atomic mean-square displacements along the protein lattice. The ensuing protein dynamical transition has been discussed extensively in the literature, and often with conflicting conclusions. Here we clarify the phenomenon by establishing a deep connection between the dynamical transition and the pseudogap state where high-temperature superconductivity comes to its end. For this we first show how to endow proteins with an order parameter akin the quasiparticle wave function in superconductors. We then present universality arguments to claim that the protein dynamical transition takes place in tandem with a pseudogap transmutation. We confirm that available experimental data fully supports our proposal.