Quantum Coherent Energy Transfer over Varying Pathways in Single Light-Harvesting Complexes
Abstract
The initial steps of photosynthesis comprise the absorption of sunlight by pigment-protein antenna complexes followed by rapid and highly efficient funneling of excitation energy to a reaction center. In these transport processes, signatures of unexpectedly long-lived coherences have emerged in two-dimensional ensemble spectra of various light-harvesting complexes. Here, we demonstrate ultrafast quantum coherent energy transfer within individual antenna complexes of a purple bacterium under physiological conditions. We find that quantum coherences between electronically coupled energy eigenstates persist at least 400 femtoseconds and that distinct energy-transfer pathways that change with time can be identified in each complex. Our data suggest that long-lived quantum coherence renders energy transfer in photosynthetic systems robust in the presence of disorder, which is a prerequisite for efficient light harvesting.
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Evidence has accumulated that plants routinely use quantum coherent electron transport at ambient temperatures in photosynthesis.
“In the past 6 years, evidence has accumulated that plants routinely use quantum coherent electron transport at ambient temperatures in photosynthesis [123,124].”
From Consciousness in the universe (2014) · cites this paper as [124]
Electronic quantum effects occur at ambient temperatures in proteins involved in photosynthesis, thought to be mediated by coherent protein mechanical vibrations.
“Electronic quantum effects occur at ambient temperatures in proteins involved in photosynthesis [123,124], these being thought to be mediated by coherent protein mechanical vibrations [125], very similar to a mechanism proposed by Fröhlich over 40 years ago, and to the mechanism we propose here in tubulin.”
From Consciousness in the universe (2014) · cites this paper as [124]
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- Authors
- Hildner, R., Brinks, D., Nieder, J. B., Cogdell, R. J., & van Hulst, N. F.
- Affiliations
- Institute of Photonic Sciences (ES)
- University of Glasgow (GB)
- ICFO–Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, Mediterranean Technology Park, 08860 Castelldefels (Barcelona), Spain.
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 2013-06-21
- Volume
- 340
- Issue
- 6139
- Pages
- 1448-1451
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W2027781839
- Cited by
- 351
- References
- 51
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 28 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 27 · 2017: 32 · 2016: 40 · 2015: 28 · 2014: 43 · 2013: 14
- FWCI
- 21.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ENLIGHTEN (Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling Islam) (submittedVersion)
- University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Spectroscopy and Quantum Chemical Studies
- Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Physical and Theoretical Chemistry › Photochemistry and Electron Transfer Studies
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms
- Keywords
- quantum coherence, energy transfer, light-harvesting complexes, photosynthesis, purple bacteria, exciton dynamics, two-dimensional spectroscopy, energy transfer pathways, disorder tolerance, ultrafast dynamics, reaction center
- MeSH terms
- Bacterial Proteins, Energy Transfer, Fourier Analysis, Light, Photosynthesis, Quantum Theory, Rhodopseudomonas, Temperature, Bacteriochlorophyll A, Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes
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