scholarly journals Cryptochrome magnetoreception: four tryptophans could be better than three

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (184) ◽  
Author(s):  
Siu Ying Wong ◽  
Yujing Wei ◽  
Henrik Mouritsen ◽  
Ilia A. Solov'yov ◽  
P. J. Hore
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Equilibrium ◽  
Radical Pair ◽  
Spin Dynamics ◽  
Photoreceptor Cells ◽  
Kinetic Properties ◽  
Radical Pairs ◽  
Magnetic Sensing ◽  
The Third ◽  
A Chain ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

The biophysical mechanism of the magnetic compass sensor in migratory songbirds is thought to involve photo-induced radical pairs formed in cryptochrome (Cry) flavoproteins located in photoreceptor cells in the eyes. In Cry4a—the most likely of the six known avian Crys to have a magnetic sensing function—four radical pair states are formed sequentially by the stepwise transfer of an electron along a chain of four tryptophan residues to the photo-excited flavin. In purified Cry4a from the migratory European robin, the third of these flavin–tryptophan radical pairs is more magnetically sensitive than the fourth, consistent with the smaller separation of the radicals in the former. Here, we explore the idea that these two radical pair states of Cry4a could exist in rapid dynamic equilibrium such that the key magnetic and kinetic properties are weighted averages. Spin dynamics simulations suggest that the third radical pair is largely responsible for magnetic sensing while the fourth may be better placed to initiate magnetic signalling particularly if the terminal tryptophan radical can be reduced by a nearby tyrosine. Such an arrangement could have allowed independent optimization of the essential sensing and signalling functions of the protein. It might also rationalize why avian Cry4a has four tryptophans while Crys from plants have only three.

scholarly journals The quantum needle of the avian magnetic compass

2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (17) ◽  
pp. 4634-4639 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamish G. Hiscock ◽  
Susannah Worster ◽  
Daniel R. Kattnig ◽  
Charlotte Steers ◽  
Ye Jin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Migratory Birds ◽  
Radical Pair ◽  
Spin Dynamics ◽  
Energy Levels ◽  
Magnetic Compass ◽  
Spin Coherence ◽  
Radical Pairs ◽  
Sharp Feature ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

Migratory birds have a light-dependent magnetic compass, the mechanism of which is thought to involve radical pairs formed photochemically in cryptochrome proteins in the retina. Theoretical descriptions of this compass have thus far been unable to account for the high precision with which birds are able to detect the direction of the Earth's magnetic field. Here we use coherent spin dynamics simulations to explore the behavior of realistic models of cryptochrome-based radical pairs. We show that when the spin coherence persists for longer than a few microseconds, the output of the sensor contains a sharp feature, referred to as a spike. The spike arises from avoided crossings of the quantum mechanical spin energy-levels of radicals formed in cryptochromes. Such a feature could deliver a heading precision sufficient to explain the navigational behavior of migratory birds in the wild. Our results (i) afford new insights into radical pair magnetoreception, (ii) suggest ways in which the performance of the compass could have been optimized by evolution, (iii) may provide the beginnings of an explanation for the magnetic disorientation of migratory birds exposed to anthropogenic electromagnetic noise, and (iv) suggest that radical pair magnetoreception may be more of a quantum biology phenomenon than previously realized.

Oxidation Dynamics of a Chain of Aluminum Nanoparticles

2013 ◽  
Vol 1521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adarsh Shekhar ◽  
Weiqiang Wang ◽  
Richard Clark ◽  
Rajiv K. Kalia ◽  
Aiichiro Nakano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Transfer ◽  
Pure Aluminum ◽  
Aluminum Nanoparticles ◽  
Oxidation Reactions ◽  
The Third ◽  
The Core ◽  
Burning Behavior ◽  
A Chain ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Exothermic Oxidation

ABSTRACTMultimillion-atom molecular dynamics simulations are used to investigate burning behavior of a chain of three alumina-coated aluminum nanoparticles (ANPs), where particles one and three are heated above the melting temperature of pure aluminum. The mode and mechanism behind the heat and mass transfer from the hot ANPs (particles one and three) to the middle, cold ANP (particle two) are studied. The hot nanoparticles oxidize first, after which hot Al atoms penetrate into the cold nanoparticle. It is also found that due to the penetration of hot Al atoms, the cold nanoparticle oxidizes at a faster rate than in the initially heated nanoparticles. The calculated speed of penetration is found to be 54 m/s, which is within the range of experimentally measured flame propagation rates. As the atoms penetrate into the central ANP, they maintain their relative positions. The atoms from the shell of the central ANP form the first layer, which is followed by the atoms from the shell of the outer ANP making the second layer and lastly the atoms from the core of the outer ANPs form the third layer. In addition to heating the central ANP by convection, the ejected hot Al atoms from the outer ANPs initiate exothermic oxidation reactions inside the central ANP, leading to further heating within the central ANP. During 1 ns, all three ANPs fuse together, forming a single ellipsoidal aggregate.

scholarly journals Radical pairs may play a role in microtubule reorganization

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hadi ZADEH-HAGHIGHI ◽  
Christoph Simon
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Radical Pair ◽  
Spin Dynamics ◽  
Radical Pair Mechanism ◽  
Magnetic Field Effects ◽  
Radical Pairs ◽  
Quantum Theories ◽  
Mechanism Model ◽  
Field Effects ◽  
Isotopic Dependence

The exact mechanism behind general anesthesia remains an open question in neuroscience. It has been proposed that anesthetics selectively prevent consciousness and memory via acting on microtubules (MTs). It is known that the magnetic field modulates MT organization. A recent study shows that a radical pair model can explain the isotope effect in xenon-induced anesthesia and predicts magnetic field effects on anesthetic potency. Further, reactive oxygen species are also implicated in MT stability and anesthesia. Based on a simple radical pair mechanism model and a simple mathematical model of MT organization, we show that magnetic fields can modulate spin dynamics of naturally occurring radical pairs in MT. We show that the spin dynamics influence a rate in the reaction cycle, which translates into a change in the MT density. We can reproduce magnetic field effects on the MT concentration that have been observed. Our model also predicts additional effects at slightly higher fields. Our model further predicts that the effect of zinc on the MT density exhibits isotopic dependence. The findings of this work make a connection between microtubule-based and radical pair-based quantum theories of consciousness.

scholarly journals Alternative radical pairs for cryptochrome-based magnetoreception

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (95) ◽  
pp. 20131063 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alpha A. Lee ◽  
Jason C. S. Lau ◽  
Hannah J. Hogben ◽  
Till Biskup ◽  
Daniel R. Kattnig ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Magnetic Properties ◽  
Radical Pair ◽  
Spin Dynamics ◽  
Hyperfine Interactions ◽  
Quantum Spin ◽  
Photochemical Reactions ◽  
Asymmetric Distribution ◽  
Tryptophan Residues ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

There is growing evidence that the remarkable ability of animals, in particular birds, to sense the direction of the Earth's magnetic field relies on magnetically sensitive photochemical reactions of the protein cryptochrome. It is generally assumed that the magnetic field acts on the radical pair [FAD •− TrpH • + ] formed by the transfer of an electron from a group of three tryptophan residues to the photo-excited flavin adenine dinucleotide cofactor within the protein. Here, we examine the suitability of an [FAD •− Z • ] radical pair as a compass magnetoreceptor, where Z • is a radical in which the electron spin has no hyperfine interactions with magnetic nuclei, such as hydrogen and nitrogen. Quantum spin dynamics simulations of the reactivity of [FAD •− Z • ] show that it is two orders of magnitude more sensitive to the direction of the geomagnetic field than is [FAD •− TrpH • + ] under the same conditions (50 µT magnetic field, 1 µs radical lifetime). The favourable magnetic properties of [FAD •− Z • ] arise from the asymmetric distribution of hyperfine interactions among the two radicals and the near-optimal magnetic properties of the flavin radical. We close by discussing the identity of Z • and possible routes for its formation as part of a spin-correlated radical pair with an FAD radical in cryptochrome.

scholarly journals Navigating at night: fundamental limits on the sensitivity of radical pair magnetoreception under dim light

2019 ◽  
Vol 52 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. G. Hiscock ◽  
T. W. Hiscock ◽  
D. R. Kattnig ◽  
T. Scrivener ◽  
A. M. Lewis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radical Pair ◽  
Photoreceptor Cells ◽  
Low Light ◽  
Radical Pairs ◽  
Fundamental Limits ◽  
Short Supply ◽  
Light Levels ◽  
Migratory Songbirds ◽  
Open Question

Abstract Night-migratory songbirds appear to sense the direction of the Earth's magnetic field via radical pair intermediates formed photochemically in cryptochrome flavoproteins contained in photoreceptor cells in their retinas. It is an open question whether this light-dependent mechanism could be sufficiently sensitive given the low-light levels experienced by nocturnal migrants. The scarcity of available photons results in significant uncertainty in the signal generated by the magnetoreceptors distributed around the retina. Here we use results from Information Theory to obtain a lower bound estimate of the precision with which a bird could orient itself using only geomagnetic cues. Our approach bypasses the current lack of knowledge about magnetic signal transduction and processing in vivo by computing the best-case compass precision under conditions where photons are in short supply. We use this method to assess the performance of three plausible cryptochrome-derived flavin-containing radical pairs as potential magnetoreceptors.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document