Quantum coherence and its interplay with protein environments in photosynthetic electronic energy transfer

Ishizaki, Akihito; Calhoun, Tessa R.; Schlau‐Cohen, Gabriela S.; Fleming, Graham R.

doi:10.1039/c003389h

Cited by 346 publications

(470 citation statements)

References 118 publications

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“…This idea found further support in a subsequent series of measurements that showed spectral beatings for cryptophyte algae [3] and Photosystem II protein complexes [9], indicating that coherent behavior in biological systems is ubiquitous. For FMO, the oscillations were found to persist for hundreds of femtoseconds at ambient temperatures and even up to a few picoseconds at 77 K [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 69%

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Laser-Limited Signatures of Quantum Coherence

et al. 2015

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The observation of persistent oscillatory signals in multidimensional spectra of proteinpigment complexes has spurred a debate on the role of coherence-assisted electronic energy transfer as a key operating principle in photosynthesis. Vibronic coupling has recently been proposed as an explanation for the long lifetime of the observed spectral beatings. However, photosynthetic systems are inherently complicated, and tractable studies on simple molecular compounds are in demand to fully understand the underlying physics. In this work, we present measurements and calculations on a solvated molecular homodimer with clearly resolvable oscillations in the corresponding twodimensional spectra. Through analysis of the various contributions to the nonlinear response, we succeed in isolating the signal due to inter-exciton coherence. We find that while calculations predict a prolongation of this coherence due to vibronic coupling, the combination of dynamic disorder and vibrational relaxation leads to a coherence decay on a timescale comparable to the electronic dephasing time.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 69%

“…The signatures of vibronic coupling in multidimensional spectroscopy have drawn great interest lately, in particular to interpret oscillatory transients observed for light-harvesting complexes [3,[8][9][10] that persist much longer than predicted electronic dephasing times [11].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Laser-Limited Signatures of Quantum Coherence

et al. 2015

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“…If the correlation function of the site energy is a delta function (HSR model), absorption and fluorescence lineshapes become Lorentzian so that the Franck-Condon factor is an overlap of two Lorentz functions (eq 14). On the other hand, if the corre- lation function is exponential like the Kubo-Anderson model, lineshapes are closer to the Gaussian [69]. It follows that the KA model gives larger overlap between the donor absorption and the acceptor fluorescence spectra.…”

Section: Exciton Diffusion Within the Rollmentioning

confidence: 90%

Theoretical characterization of excitation energy transfer in chlorosome light-harvesting antennae from green sulfur bacteria

et al. 2014

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We present a theoretical study of excitation dynamics in the chlorosome antenna complex of green photosynthetic bacteria based on a recently proposed model for the molecular assembly. Our model for the excitation energy transfer (EET) throughout the antenna combines a stochastic time propagation of the excitonic wave function with molecular dynamics simulations of the supramolecular structure, and electronic structure calculations of the excited states. We characterized the optical properties of the chlorosome with absorption, circular dichroism and fluorescence polarization anisotropy decay spectra. The simulation results for the excitation dynamics reveal a detailed picture of the EET in the chlorosome. Coherent energy transfer is significant only for the first 50 fs after the initial excitation, and the wavelike motion of the exciton is completely damped at 100 fs. Characteristic time constants of incoherent energy transfer, subsequently, vary from 1 ps to several tens of ps. We assign the time scales of the EET to specific physical processes by comparing our results with the data obtained from time-resolved spectroscopy experiments.

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“…The reason that efficiency of this process is so high in living plants, is that the entire process of transmitting solar energy inside the leafs takes place under the conditions in which the energy remains in a quantum state. Quantum coherence in electron transfer in photosynthesis lasts for a long time (600 fs) in the pigment-protein complex (Engel, 2007;Ishizaki, 2010). But it is not yet fully known how this coherence is brought about in living tissue, although it has been shown that environmental noise increases energy delivery efficiency (Panitchayangkoona, 2010;Collini, 2010).…”

Section: Photosynthesismentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantum Wave Information of Life Revealed: An Algorithm for Electromagnetic Frequencies that Create Stability of Biological Order, With Implications for Brain Function and Consciousness

Geesink¹,

Meijer

2016

Neuroquantology

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We propose a hypothesis of a mathematical algorithm for coherent quantum frequencies, that may create stability of biological order. The concept is based on an extensive literature survey, comprising 175 articles from 1950 to 2015, dealing with effects of electromagnetic radiation on in vitro and in vivo life systems, indicating that typical discrete coherent frequencies of electromagnetic waves are able to stabilize cells, whereas others cause a clear destabilization. We find support for the hypothesis of H. Fröhlich, that a driven set of oscillators condenses in a broad energy range, may activate a vibrational mode in life organisms at room temperature. Taking into account the life sustaining frequencies, as extracted from literature, an algorithm of coherent frequencies of standing waves for the stability of biological order was inferred. Interestingly, we found that the origin of the particular biological algorithm can be mathematically approached by a selected "tempered Pythagorean" reference acoustic scale. The algorithm expresses one-dimensional wave equations known for vibrating strings. The origin of the biological algorithm was condensed in a mathematical expression, in which all frequencies have ratios of 1:2 and closely approach ratios of 2:3. This inferred algorithm was subsequently verified with regard to various frequencies of electromagnetic waves, as applied in the above-mentioned independent biological studies. It was also matched with a range of 23 different measured quantum resonances emitted by a selected inorganic silicate mineral, that is able to catalyze the oligomerization of RNA. The selected silicate was experimentally shown to act as a quantum replicator, specifically emitting EM radiation at frequencies that are fully in line with this algorithm. Such silicate quantum replicators, therefore may have been instrumental in the initiation of first replicating, life, cells at the edge of pre-biotic evolution. Our model may imply that, at the quantum scale, an underlying electromagnetically defined order may have been present, that was a prerequisite for the coding of synthesis and functional arrangement of cellular elements in biological evolution. Far infrared dynamics, reminiscent of coherent nonrelativistic super fluids in 3+1-dimensions, may have played a role. Finally, we address the question whether the identified electromagnetic fields may also influence neural systems in general and human (self) consciousness in particular. We are finding support for recent electromagnetic and stochastic zero-point energy field theories in quantum consciousness studies. The striking similarity of electromagnetic wave frequencies, detected by us in the biological studies, and in selected clay minerals, as well as in color spectra, tone scales and sound induced geometric Chladni patterns, may indicate that we identified the involvement of a universal electromagnetic principle, that underlies the observed life sustaining effects and also may have been instrumental in the creation of biologica...

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Quantum coherence and its interplay with protein environments in photosynthetic electronic energy transfer

Cited by 346 publications

References 118 publications

Laser-Limited Signatures of Quantum Coherence

Laser-Limited Signatures of Quantum Coherence

Theoretical characterization of excitation energy transfer in chlorosome light-harvesting antennae from green sulfur bacteria

Quantum Wave Information of Life Revealed: An Algorithm for Electromagnetic Frequencies that Create Stability of Biological Order, With Implications for Brain Function and Consciousness

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