{"title":"Quantum effects in ion transport: A thermodynamic resource theory approach","authors":"Amin Mohammadi, Afshin Shafiee","doi":"10.1016/j.biosystems.2025.105412","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, understanding thermodynamics in the quantum regime has garnered significant attention, driven by advances in nanoscale physics and experimental techniques. In parallel, growing evidence supports the importance of quantum effects in various biological processes, making them increasingly relevant to quantum thermodynamics. In this study, we apply resource theory formulations of thermodynamics to investigate the role of quantum properties in ion transport across cell membranes. Within this framework, quantum properties are treated as resources under generalized thermodynamic constraints in the quantum regime. Specifically, our findings reveal that non-Markovianity, which reflects memory effects in ion transport dynamics, is a key quantum resource that enhances the yield and efficiency of the ion transport process. In contrast, quantum coherence, manifested as the superposition of energy states in ion-transport proteins, reduces these metrics but plays a crucial role in distinguishing between ion channels and ion pumps—two distinct types of ion-transport proteins in cell membranes. Finally, we demonstrate that introducing an additional coherent system allows coherence to facilitate the transformation of an ion pump into an ion channel.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50730,"journal":{"name":"Biosystems","volume":"249 ","pages":"Article 105412"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Biosystems","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030326472500022X","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"BIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
In recent years, understanding thermodynamics in the quantum regime has garnered significant attention, driven by advances in nanoscale physics and experimental techniques. In parallel, growing evidence supports the importance of quantum effects in various biological processes, making them increasingly relevant to quantum thermodynamics. In this study, we apply resource theory formulations of thermodynamics to investigate the role of quantum properties in ion transport across cell membranes. Within this framework, quantum properties are treated as resources under generalized thermodynamic constraints in the quantum regime. Specifically, our findings reveal that non-Markovianity, which reflects memory effects in ion transport dynamics, is a key quantum resource that enhances the yield and efficiency of the ion transport process. In contrast, quantum coherence, manifested as the superposition of energy states in ion-transport proteins, reduces these metrics but plays a crucial role in distinguishing between ion channels and ion pumps—two distinct types of ion-transport proteins in cell membranes. Finally, we demonstrate that introducing an additional coherent system allows coherence to facilitate the transformation of an ion pump into an ion channel.
期刊介绍:
BioSystems encourages experimental, computational, and theoretical articles that link biology, evolutionary thinking, and the information processing sciences. The link areas form a circle that encompasses the fundamental nature of biological information processing, computational modeling of complex biological systems, evolutionary models of computation, the application of biological principles to the design of novel computing systems, and the use of biomolecular materials to synthesize artificial systems that capture essential principles of natural biological information processing.