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Matematicheskaya Biologiya i Bioinformatika, 2009, Volume 4, Issue 2, Pages 46–51
(Mi mbb44)
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This article is cited in 5 scientific papers (total in 5 papers)
Mathematical Modeling
On the possibility of superfast charge transfer in DNA
V. D. Lakhno, V. B. Sultanov Institute of Mathematical Problems of Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences
Abstract:
Numerous experiments on charge transfer in DNA yield a contradictory picture of the transfer: on the one hand they suggest that it is a very slow process and the charge is almost completely localized on one Watson–Crick pair, but on the other hand they demonstrate that the charge can travel a very large distance. To explain this contradiction we propose that superfast charge transitions are possible between base pairs on individual DNA fragments resulting in the establishment of a quasi-equilibrium charge distribution during the time less than that of charge solvation. In other words, we hypothesize these states irrespective of the nature of a mechanism responsible for their establishment, whether it be a hopping mechanism, or a band mechanism, or superexchange, or polaron transport, etc., leaving aside the debates of which one is more advantageous. We discuss qualitative differences between the charge transfer in a dry DNA and that in a solution. In a solution, of great importance is the charge solvation which decreases the transfer rate $10^7\div10^8$ times as compared with a dry DNA. We consider the conditions under which the superfast charge transfer in a DNA leading to quasiequilibrium distributions of polarons in a duplex is possible. Comparison of calculated quasi-equilibrium distributions with the experiment testifies to the possibility of superfast tunnel transitions of a hole in a DNA duplex in a solution.
Key words:
Holstein Hamiltonian, hole, solvation.
Received 16.06.2009, Published 06.07.2009
Citation:
V. D. Lakhno, V. B. Sultanov, “On the possibility of superfast charge transfer in DNA”, Mat. Biolog. Bioinform., 4:2 (2009), 46–51; Mat. Biolog. Bioinform., 4:2 (2009), 1–6
Linking options:
https://www.mathnet.ru/eng/mbb44 https://www.mathnet.ru/eng/mbb/v4/i2/p46
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