Engineering chimeric light harvesting proteins to determine the physical basis for the emergence of quantum coherence.
Abstract
The strange phenomena of quantum mechanics were not expected to play a direct role in life,however, it appears that quantum effects may be important in the efficient capture of sunlight forphotosynthesis. The conditions for the emergence of quantum phenomena appear to be set by thestructures of proteins. The aim of the project is to relate protein structure to the emergence ofquantum effects in the light harvesting proteins of marine algae. We have discovered two differentstructural forms of the same type of light harvesting protein where one supports quantumphenomena while the other does not appear to do so. Our aim is to determine the structural featuresof these proteins that result in the emergence of quantum coherence. To do this, we will engineerchimeric proteins that have been built by separating the two components of natural light harvestingproteins and then recombining them to produce novel pair of matched chimeric proteins. We willuse x-ray methods to determine the three-dimensional structures of these chimeric proteins so as toconfirm our bioengineering. We will then characterize the chimeric protein pairs using ultrafastlaser spectroscopy so as to detect quantum coherence. In this manner we aim to determine theprecise nature of the link between protein structure and the presence or absence of quantumphenomena. Understanding the link between structure and quantum effects will improve ourknowledge of how nature achieves its remarkable efficiency in utilizing the energy from the sun.This is likely to foster new technologies that improve the efficiency of solar energy systems.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 09, 2018
- Source ID
- FA23861714101
Entities
People
- Paul Curmi
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- United States Air Force
- University of New South Wales