On the existence of superradiant excitonic states in microtubules
Open accessAbstract
Microtubules are biological protein polymers with critical and diverse functions. Their structures share some similarities with photosynthetic antenna complexes, particularly in the ordered arrangement of photoactive molecules with large transition dipole moments. As the role of photoexcitations in microtubules remains an open question, here we analyze tryptophan molecules, the amino acid building block of microtubules with the largest transition dipole strength. By taking their positions and dipole orientations from realistic models capable of reproducing tubulin experimental spectra, and using a Hamiltonian widely employed in quantum optics to describe light–matter interactions, we show that such molecules arranged in their native microtubule configuration exhibit a superradiant lowest exciton state, which represents an excitation fully extended on the chromophore lattice. We also show that such a superradiant state emerges due to supertransfer coupling between the lowest exciton states of smaller blocks of the microtubule. In the dynamics we find that the spreading of excitation is ballistic in the absence of external sources of disorder and strongly dependent on initial conditions. The velocity of photoexcitation spreading is shown to be enhanced by the supertransfer effect with respect to the velocity one would expect from the strength of the nearest-neighbor coupling between tryptophan molecules in the microtubule. Finally, such structures are shown to have an enhanced robustness to static disorder when compared to geometries that include only short-range interactions. These cooperative effects (superradiance and supertransfer) may induce ultra-efficient photoexcitation absorption and could enhance excitonic energy transfer in microtubules over long distances under physiological conditions.
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The non-Hermitian Hamiltonian approach has been used to develop a theoretical model for exciton transport within microtubules.
“The non-Hermitian Hamiltonian approach outlined above has been recently utilized in Ref. [61] to develop a theoretical model for exciton transport within microtubules.”
From Quantum Models of Consciousness from a Quantum Information Science Perspective (2025) · cites this paper as [61]
Superradiance in microtubules demonstrates robustness to disorder, even with uniformly distributed excitation energy across Trp dipole sites.
“the superradiance demonstrated robustness to disorder, even with uniformly distributed excitation energy across Trp dipole sites.”
From Quantum Models of Consciousness from a Quantum Information Science Perspective (2025) · cites this paper as [61]
The ground state of a whole microtubule segment acts as a coherent superposition of the ground states of its smaller components.
“The same probability-based analysis using smaller microtubule segments (specific groups of 13 coupled spirals, the minimum number ensuring the superradiant state as the lowest excitonic state) showed that the ground state of the whole segment acts as a coherent superposition of the ground states of its smaller components.”
From Quantum Models of Consciousness from a Quantum Information Science Perspective (2025) · cites this paper as [61]
Photoexcitation spreads ballistically along the longitudinal axis of microtubule segments.
“Furthermore, photoexcitation was found to spread ballistically along the longitudinal axis”
From Quantum Models of Consciousness from a Quantum Information Science Perspective (2025) · cites this paper as [61]
In the model of Ref. [61], aromatic tryptophan amino acids have the largest transition dipole moment in the structure of microtubules.
“In this model, aromatic tryptophan amino acids (Trp)—that have the largest transition dipole moment in the structure of microtubules—were treated as the photoactive molecular sites through which a single exciton delocalizes.”
From Quantum Models of Consciousness from a Quantum Information Science Perspective (2025) · cites this paper as [61]
In the long-lived subradiant state, exciton delocalization is concentrated on the inner wall of the microtubule lumen.
“Conversely, exciton delocalization in the long-lived subradiant state is concentrated on the inner wall of the microtubule lumen, possibly contributing to neuronal process synchronization.”
From Quantum Models of Consciousness from a Quantum Information Science Perspective (2025) · cites this paper as [61]
In the superradiant state, the exciton is delocalized over all Trp sites on the microtubule's external wall.
“This investigation revealed that the exciton in the superradiant state is delocalized over all Trp sites on the microtubule’s external wall, potentially facilitating communication with cellular proteins.”
From Quantum Models of Consciousness from a Quantum Information Science Perspective (2025) · cites this paper as [61]
For systems with more than 12 spirals, the superradiant state corresponds to the lowest excitonic state.
“When the decay widths of all right eigenstates |ER〉 were plotted after being normalized by the single dipole decay width γ in [61], it was realized that the superradiant state corresponds to the lowest excitonic state for the systems that have more than 12 spirals.”
From Quantum Models of Consciousness from a Quantum Information Science Perspective (2025) · cites this paper as [61]
Full or partial randomization of Trp dipole orientations destroys superradiance, indicating that superradiance depends on the particular order of these dipoles in microtubules.
“It was also demonstrated that either full or a partial randomization of Trp dipole orientations destroys the superradiance, which in turn indicates that the superradiance depends on the particular order of these dipoles in microtubules.”
From Quantum Models of Consciousness from a Quantum Information Science Perspective (2025) · cites this paper as [61]
Exciton delocalization in the superradiant state potentially facilitates communication with cellular proteins.
“This investigation revealed that the exciton in the superradiant state is delocalized over all Trp sites on the microtubule’s external wall, potentially facilitating communication with cellular proteins.”
From Quantum Models of Consciousness from a Quantum Information Science Perspective (2025) · cites this paper as [61]
Exciton delocalization in the subradiant state possibly contributes to neuronal process synchronization.
“Conversely, exciton delocalization in the long-lived subradiant state is concentrated on the inner wall of the microtubule lumen, possibly contributing to neuronal process synchronization.”
From Quantum Models of Consciousness from a Quantum Information Science Perspective (2025) · cites this paper as [61]
The quantum information science insights explored to enhance the theoretical framework in Ref. [61] are equally applicable to the more recent study in Ref. [48], offering a unified perspective on exciton delocalization and superradiance in microtubules.
“The insights from quantum information science that we have explored to enhance the theoretical framework in Ref. [61] are equally applicable to the more recent study in Ref. [48], offering a unified perspective on exciton delocalization and superradiance in microtubules.”
From Quantum Models of Consciousness from a Quantum Information Science Perspective (2025) · cites this paper as [61]
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References 71 · Cited by 56
- Authors
- Celardo, G. L., Angeli, M., Craddock, T. J. A., & Kurian, P.
- Affiliations
- Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (MX)
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (IT)
- Nova Southeastern University (US)
- University of Iowa (US)
- Venue
- New Journal of Physics
- Publisher
- IOP Publishing
- Published
- 2019-02-05
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 023005
- ISSN
- 1367-2630 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2891802132
- Cited by
- 56
- References
- 71
- Citations by year
- 2026: 14 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 1
- FWCI
- 0.81
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- New Journal of Physics (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
- Florence Research (University of Florence) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- NSUWorks (Nova Southeastern University) (submittedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University)
- Funders
- National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (G12MD007597)
- Nova Southeastern University President’s Faculty Research and Development Grant (PFRDG 335426)
- US-Italy Fulbright Commission
- PRODEP (511-6/17-8017)
- Whole Genome Science Foundation
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Spectroscopy and Quantum Chemical Studies
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Strong Light-Matter Interactions
- Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Physical and Theoretical Chemistry › Photochemistry and Electron Transfer Studies
- Keywords
- microtubules, superradiance, excitonic states, tryptophan, exciton transfer, photoexcitation dynamics, light-matter interaction, tubulin, transition dipole moment
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