Forecasting of the influence of physical fields on the metabolic nanocurrent in proteins

Abstract

It is known that in order to complete the process of ATP synthesis in mitochondria, it is necessary to transfer in it electrons from places where electrons arise as a result of oxidative processes. Therefore, the study of the mechanisms of such a transfer is important, in particular, from the point of view of the regulatory effect on it for therapeutic purposes. The question of the possibility of considering the primary structure of proteins as an active nanowire of a semiconductor nature is analyzed. It has been shown that a non-uniform amino acid composition forms a residual electrostatic field, which is the cause of directional electron transfer. In particular, studies have been conducted on the effect of temperature on electron transfer processes along cellular organelles, which are polypeptide fragments of protein molecules. The calculations show that the electron, which is transferred by the residual field, creates micro currents in the range from 23 to 205 pA depending on the length of the protein-like nanowire (respectively, from 300 to 100 amino acid residues) and temperature in the physiologically relevant range: 33-41oC. The possibility of controlling electron transfers along a protein-like nanowire using a magnetic field is investigated. The found threshold value of the magnetic field at which ATP synthesis can be blocked is consistent with observations. For magnetic field strength it will be: H=8·104A/m.