Quantum biological tunnel junction for electron transfer imaging in live cells

Hongbao Xin, Wen Jing Sim, Bumseok Namgung, Yeonho Choi, Baojun Li and Luke P. Lee ()
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Hongbao Xin: Jinan University
Wen Jing Sim: National University of Singapore
Bumseok Namgung: National University of Singapore
Yeonho Choi: School of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University
Baojun Li: Jinan University
Luke P. Lee: University of California at Berkeley

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Quantum biological electron transfer (ET) essentially involves in virtually all important biological processes such as photosynthesis, cellular respiration, DNA repair, cellular homeostasis, and cell death. However, there is no real-time imaging method to capture biological electron tunnelling in live cells to date. Here, we report a quantum biological electron tunnelling (QBET) junction and its application in real-time optical detection of QBET and the dynamics of ET in mitochondrial cytochrome c during cell life and death process. QBET junctions permit to see the behaviours of electron tunnelling through barrier molecules with different barrier widths. Using QBET spectroscopy, we optically capture real-time ET in cytochrome c redox dynamics during cellular apoptosis and necrosis in living cells. The non-invasive real-time QBET spectroscopic imaging of ET in live cell open a new era in life sciences and medicine by providing a way to capture spatiotemporal ET dynamics and to reveal the quantum biological mechanisms.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11212-x

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