Speaker: Dirk Hennig

Abstract: We consider the electron transfer (ET) in regular and random protein models. The steric molecular structure of the protein matrix is modelled by a network of coupled oscillators. The latter, representing the peptide groups, are coupled via point-point interaction potentials describing the covalent and hydrogen bonds which stabilize the secondary structure of the protein scaffolds. The electronic degree of freedom, expressed in terms of a tight-binding system, is coupled to intramolecular as well as bond vibrations. The effects of disorder and imperfections present in many real protein system are simulated by randomness in the system parameters and/or random equilibrium lengths of the bonds yielding random protein cages. Interest is focused on the mobility of breather solutions accomplishing ET. We demonstrate that the coupling of the electron to the vibrational dynamics of the protein matrix is vital for the initiation of coherent ET. Furthermore, it  is shown that the moving electron breathers of regular systems may sustain the impact of randomness in the system parameters and persist as chaotic breathers establishing long-ranged ET along the transfer channels of the protein scaffolds.

MOBIL. Moving Breathers in Inhomogeneous Lattices. Workshop at Sevilla, 21-22 February 2003.