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Thermal Quantum Correlations in Photosynthetic Light-Harvesting Complexes

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Abstract

Photosynthesis is one of the ancient biological processes, playing crucial role converting solar energy to cellular usable currency. Environmental factors and external perturbations has forced nature to choose systems with the highest efficiency and performance. Recent theoretical and experimental studies have proved the presence of quantum properties in biological systems. Energy transfer systems like Fenna-Matthews-Olson (FMO) complex shows quantum entanglement between sites of Bacteriophylla molecules in protein environment and presence of decoherence. Complex biological systems implement more truthful mechanisms beside chemical-quantum correlations to assure system’s efficiency. In this study we investigate thermal quantum correlations in FMO protein of the photosynthetic apparatus of green sulfur bacteria by quantum discord measure. The results confirmed existence of remarkable quantum correlations of of BChla pigments in room temperature. This results approve involvement of quantum correlation mechanisms for information storage and retention in living organisms that could be useful for further evolutionary studies. Inspired idea of this study is potentially interesting to practice by the same procedure in genetic data transfer mechanisms.

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Acknowledgments

This work is published as a part of research project supported by the university of Tabriz research affairs office.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Physics, Theoretical and Astrophysics Department, University of Tabriz, 51664, Tabriz, Iran

    M. Mahdian

  2. Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Biology, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

    H. Kouhestani

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  1. M. Mahdian
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  2. H. Kouhestani
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Correspondence to M. Mahdian.

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Mahdian, M., Kouhestani, H. Thermal Quantum Correlations in Photosynthetic Light-Harvesting Complexes. Int J Theor Phys 54, 2576–2590 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10773-014-2489-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10773-014-2489-7

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