Electron spin relaxation can enhance the performance of a cryptochrome-based magnetic compass sensor
The radical pair model of the avian magnetoreceptor relies on long‐lived electron spin coherence. Dephasing, resulting from interactions of the spins with their fluctuating environment, is generally assumed to degrade the sensitivity of this compass to the direction of the Earth's magnetic fiel...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal article |
| Published: |
IOP Publishing: Open Access Journals
2016
|
| _version_ | 1797064144397008896 |
|---|---|
| author | Hore, P Kattnig, D Solov'yov, I Sowa, J |
| author_facet | Hore, P Kattnig, D Solov'yov, I Sowa, J |
| author_sort | Hore, P |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | The radical pair model of the avian magnetoreceptor relies on long‐lived electron spin coherence. Dephasing, resulting from interactions of the spins with their fluctuating environment, is generally assumed to degrade the sensitivity of this compass to the direction of the Earth's magnetic field. Here we argue that certain spin relaxation mechanisms can enhance its performance. We focus on the flavin‐tryptophan radical pair in cryptochrome, currently the only candidate magnetoreceptor molecule. Correlation functions for fluctuations in the distance between the two radicals in Arabidopsis thaliana cryptochrome 1 were obtained from molecular dynamics simulations and used to calculate the spin relaxation caused by modulation of the exchange and dipolar interactions. We find that intermediate spin relaxation rates afford substantial enhancements in the sensitivity of the reaction yields to an Earth‐strength magnetic field. Supported by calculations using toy radical pair models, we argue that these enhancements could be consistent with the molecular dynamics and magnetic interactions in avian cryptochromes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T21:10:05Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:3dd55ea5-5145-465a-b437-ce91ae07953f |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T21:10:05Z |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing: Open Access Journals |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:3dd55ea5-5145-465a-b437-ce91ae07953f2022-03-26T14:21:55ZElectron spin relaxation can enhance the performance of a cryptochrome-based magnetic compass sensorJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:3dd55ea5-5145-465a-b437-ce91ae07953fSymplectic Elements at OxfordIOP Publishing: Open Access Journals2016Hore, PKattnig, DSolov'yov, ISowa, JThe radical pair model of the avian magnetoreceptor relies on long‐lived electron spin coherence. Dephasing, resulting from interactions of the spins with their fluctuating environment, is generally assumed to degrade the sensitivity of this compass to the direction of the Earth's magnetic field. Here we argue that certain spin relaxation mechanisms can enhance its performance. We focus on the flavin‐tryptophan radical pair in cryptochrome, currently the only candidate magnetoreceptor molecule. Correlation functions for fluctuations in the distance between the two radicals in Arabidopsis thaliana cryptochrome 1 were obtained from molecular dynamics simulations and used to calculate the spin relaxation caused by modulation of the exchange and dipolar interactions. We find that intermediate spin relaxation rates afford substantial enhancements in the sensitivity of the reaction yields to an Earth‐strength magnetic field. Supported by calculations using toy radical pair models, we argue that these enhancements could be consistent with the molecular dynamics and magnetic interactions in avian cryptochromes. |
| spellingShingle | Hore, P Kattnig, D Solov'yov, I Sowa, J Electron spin relaxation can enhance the performance of a cryptochrome-based magnetic compass sensor |
| title | Electron spin relaxation can enhance the performance of a cryptochrome-based magnetic compass sensor |
| title_full | Electron spin relaxation can enhance the performance of a cryptochrome-based magnetic compass sensor |
| title_fullStr | Electron spin relaxation can enhance the performance of a cryptochrome-based magnetic compass sensor |
| title_full_unstemmed | Electron spin relaxation can enhance the performance of a cryptochrome-based magnetic compass sensor |
| title_short | Electron spin relaxation can enhance the performance of a cryptochrome-based magnetic compass sensor |
| title_sort | electron spin relaxation can enhance the performance of a cryptochrome based magnetic compass sensor |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT horep electronspinrelaxationcanenhancetheperformanceofacryptochromebasedmagneticcompasssensor AT kattnigd electronspinrelaxationcanenhancetheperformanceofacryptochromebasedmagneticcompasssensor AT solovyovi electronspinrelaxationcanenhancetheperformanceofacryptochromebasedmagneticcompasssensor AT sowaj electronspinrelaxationcanenhancetheperformanceofacryptochromebasedmagneticcompasssensor |