Long-range donor-acceptor electron transport mediated by α helices

Brizhik, L.S.; Luo, J.; Piette, B.M.A.G.; Zakrzewski, W.J.

doi:10.1103/physreve.100.062205

Long-range donor-acceptor electron transport mediated by α helices

Brizhik, L.S.; Luo, J.; Piette, B.M.A.G.; Zakrzewski, W.J.

Authors

L.S. Brizhik

J. Luo

Professor Bernard Piette b.m.a.g.piette@durham.ac.uk
Professor

W.J. Zakrzewski

Abstract

We study the long-range electron and energy transfer mediated by a polaron on an α-helix polypeptide chain coupled to donor and acceptor molecules at opposite ends of the chain. We show that for specific parameters of the system, an electron initially located on the donor can tunnel onto the α helix, forming a polaron, which then travels to the other extremity of the polypeptide chain, where it is captured by the acceptor. We consider three families of couplings between the donor, the acceptor, and the chain and show that one of them can lead to a 90% efficiency of the electron transport from donor to acceptor. We also show that this process remains stable at physiological temperatures in the presence of thermal fluctuations in the system.

Citation

Brizhik, L., Luo, J., Piette, B., & Zakrzewski, W. (2019). Long-range donor-acceptor electron transport mediated by α helices. Physical Review E, 100(6), Article 062205. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.100.062205

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Dec 3, 2019
Online Publication Date	Dec 19, 2019
Publication Date	Dec 19, 2019
Deposit Date	Jan 8, 2020
Publicly Available Date	Jan 8, 2020
Journal	Physical Review E
Print ISSN	2470-0045
Electronic ISSN	2470-0053
Publisher	American Physical Society
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	100
Issue	6
Article Number	062205
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.100.062205

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Copyright Statement
Reprinted with permission from the American Physical Society: Brizhik, L. S., Luo, J., Piette, B. M. A. G. & Zakrzewski, W. J. (2019). Long-range donor-acceptor electron transport mediated by α helices. Physical Review E 100(6): 062205.© 2019 by the American Physical Society. Readers may view, browse, and/or download material for temporary copying purposes only, provided these uses are for noncommercial personal purposes. Except as provided by law, this material may not be further reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, adapted, performed, displayed, published, or sold in whole or part, without prior written permission from the American Physical Society.