Directed polaron propagation in linear polypeptides induced by intramolecular vibrations and external electric pulses

Luo, J.; Piette, B.M.A.G.

Abstract

We study the propagation of α-helix polarons in a model describing the nonadiabatic interaction between an electron and a lattice of quantum mechanical oscillators at physiological temperature. We show that when excited by a subpicosecond electric pulse, as induced by experimentally observed subpicosecond charge separation, the polaron is displaced by up to hundreds of lattice sites before the electron becomes delocalised. We discuss biophysical implications of our results.

Citation

Luo, J., & Piette, B. (2018). Directed polaron propagation in linear polypeptides induced by intramolecular vibrations and external electric pulses. Physical Review E, 98(1), Article 012401. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.98.012401

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 18, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Jul 3, 2018
• Publication Date: Jul 3, 2018
• Deposit Date: Jul 10, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 10, 2018
• Journal: Physical review . E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics
• Print ISSN: 2470-0045
• Electronic ISSN: 2470-0053
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 98
• Issue: 1
• Article Number: 012401
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.98.012401
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1326686