Environment Assisted Quantum Transport in Organic Molecules

TL;DR

This paper explores how Environment Assisted Quantum Transport (ENAQT) enables efficient charge transfer in organic molecules like caffeine, potentially impacting our understanding of receptor mechanisms in biological systems.

Contribution

It introduces the novel concept that ENAQT facilitates charge transport across ligand molecules, a process not previously considered in biological contexts.

Findings

ENAQT enables cross-ligand charge transport at room temperature.

Demonstrates efficient quantum transport in caffeine molecule.

Suggests implications for receptor function and molecular reorganization.

Abstract

One of the new discoveries in quantum biology is the role of Environment Assisted Quantum Transport (ENAQT) in excitonic transport processes. In disordered quantum systems transport is most efficient when the environment just destroys quantum interferences responsible for localization, but the coupling does not drive the system to fully classical thermal diffusion yet. This poised realm between the pure quantum and the semi-classical domains has not been considered in other biological transport processes, such as charge transport through organic molecules. Binding in receptor-ligand complexes is assumed to be static as electrons are assumed to be not able to cross the ligand molecule. We show that ENAQT makes cross ligand transport possible and efficient between certain atoms opening the way for the reorganization of the charge distribution on the receptor when the ligand molecule docks. This new effect can potentially change our understanding how receptors work. We demonstrate room temperature ENAQT on the caffeine molecule.