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Evidence for wavelike energy transfer through quantum coherence in photosynthetic systems

Author

Listed:
  • Gregory S. Engel

    (University of California, Berkeley
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA)

  • Tessa R. Calhoun

    (University of California, Berkeley
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA)

  • Elizabeth L. Read

    (University of California, Berkeley
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA)

  • Tae-Kyu Ahn

    (University of California, Berkeley
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA)

  • Tomáš Mančal

    (University of California, Berkeley
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
    Present address: Institute of Physics of Charles University, 12116 Prague 2, Czech Republic.)

  • Yuan-Chung Cheng

    (University of California, Berkeley
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA)

  • Robert E. Blankenship

    (Department of Biology,
    Washington University, St Louis, Missouri 63130, USA)

  • Graham R. Fleming

    (University of California, Berkeley
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA)

Abstract

Making photosynthesis tick Photosynthesis provides the primary energy source for almost all life on Earth. One of its remarkable features is the efficiency with which energy is transferred within the light harvesting complexes comprising the photosynthetic apparatus. Suspicions that quantum trickery might be involved in the energy transfer processes at the core of photosynthesis are now confirmed by a new spectroscopic study. The study reveals electronic quantum beats characteristic of wavelike energy motion within the bacteriochlorophyll complex from the green sulphur bacterium Chlorobium tepidum. This wavelike characteristic of the energy transfer process can explain the extreme efficiency of photosynthesis, in that vast areas of phase space can be sampled effectively to find the most efficient path for energy transfer.

Suggested Citation

  • Gregory S. Engel & Tessa R. Calhoun & Elizabeth L. Read & Tae-Kyu Ahn & Tomáš Mančal & Yuan-Chung Cheng & Robert E. Blankenship & Graham R. Fleming, 2007. "Evidence for wavelike energy transfer through quantum coherence in photosynthetic systems," Nature, Nature, vol. 446(7137), pages 782-786, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:446:y:2007:i:7137:d:10.1038_nature05678
    DOI: 10.1038/nature05678
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    3. Kai Müller & Karl S. Schellhammer & Nico Gräßler & Bipasha Debnath & Fupin Liu & Yulia Krupskaya & Karl Leo & Martin Knupfer & Frank Ortmann, 2023. "Directed exciton transport highways in organic semiconductors," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.
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    6. Ringsmuth, Andrew K. & Landsberg, Michael J. & Hankamer, Ben, 2016. "Can photosynthesis enable a global transition from fossil fuels to solar fuels, to mitigate climate change and fuel-supply limitations?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 134-163.
    7. Packer, Mike, 2009. "Algal capture of carbon dioxide; biomass generation as a tool for greenhouse gas mitigation with reference to New Zealand energy strategy and policy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(9), pages 3428-3437, September.
    8. Qian, Xiaohui & Zeng, Congzhi & Zhou, Nengji, 2021. "Quantum criticality of the Ohmic spin-boson model in a high dense spectrum: Symmetries, quantum fluctuations and correlations," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 580(C).
    9. Reda M. El-Shishtawy & Robert Haddon & Saleh Al-Heniti & Bahaaudin Raffah & Sayed Abdel-Khalek & Kamal Berrada & Yas Al-Hadeethi, 2016. "Realistic Quantum Control of Energy Transfer in Photosynthetic Processes," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-11, December.
    10. Arif Ullah & Pavlo O. Dral, 2022. "Predicting the future of excitation energy transfer in light-harvesting complex with artificial intelligence-based quantum dynamics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    11. Gabor Vattay & Stuart Kauffman & Samuli Niiranen, 2014. "Quantum Biology on the Edge of Quantum Chaos," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(3), pages 1-6, March.
    12. Ruidan Zhu & Wenjun Li & Zhanghe Zhen & Jiading Zou & Guohong Liao & Jiayu Wang & Zhuan Wang & Hailong Chen & Song Qin & Yuxiang Weng, 2024. "Quantum phase synchronization via exciton-vibrational energy dissipation sustains long-lived coherence in photosynthetic antennas," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    13. Shirmovsky, S.Eh. & Shulga, D.V., 2023. "Quantum relaxation processes in microtubule tryptophan system," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 617(C).
    14. Carsten Lippe & Tanita Klas & Jana Bender & Patrick Mischke & Thomas Niederprüm & Herwig Ott, 2021. "Experimental realization of a 3D random hopping model," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-7, December.
    15. Longo, Giuseppe & Montévil, Maël, 2013. "Extended criticality, phase spaces and enablement in biology," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 64-79.
    16. F. Caycedo-Soler & A. Mattioni & J. Lim & T. Renger & S. F. Huelga & M. B. Plenio, 2022. "Exact simulation of pigment-protein complexes unveils vibronic renormalization of electronic parameters in ultrafast spectroscopy," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    17. Arnault, Pablo & Debbasch, Fabrice, 2016. "Landau levels for discrete-time quantum walks in artificial magnetic fields," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 443(C), pages 179-191.
    18. Shekaari, Ashkan & Jafari, Mahmoud, 2020. "Non-equilibrium thermodynamic properties and internal dynamics of 32-residue beta amyloid fibrils," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 557(C).
    19. J.-B. Trebbia & Q. Deplano & P. Tamarat & B. Lounis, 2022. "Tailoring the superradiant and subradiant nature of two coherently coupled quantum emitters," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    20. Alharbi, Fahhad H. & Kais, Sabre, 2015. "Theoretical limits of photovoltaics efficiency and possible improvements by intuitive approaches learned from photosynthesis and quantum coherence," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 1073-1089.
    21. Di Molfetta, Giuseppe & Brachet, Marc & Debbasch, Fabrice, 2014. "Quantum walks in artificial electric and gravitational fields," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 397(C), pages 157-168.

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