The quantum avian compass probed on the single molecule level

磁响应蛋白在候鸟的神经系统和分子罗盘中起着关键作用。20年前，一种叫做隐花色素的蛋白质被认为是分子罗盘的关键组成部分。隐色素蛋白在单线态和三重态之间的转换过程构成了鸟类磁感的基础。它有一个量子起源，这在其动力学的量子拍中是显而易见的。事实上，对比热能小6个数量级的地磁场的感应，用经典的方法是不可能的。到目前为止，还没有关于隐花色素量子热效应的单分子实验研究。我们建议利用最先进的光学单分子光等离子体WGM传感器的极高灵敏度来实时解决这种转变，并确定单个隐花色素蛋白的磁敏量子产率。我们还将探讨环境电磁辐射对隐花色素的动力学和磁感的影响。这项研究具有开创性，因为它将为隐花色素蛋白作为分子罗盘磁传感器的理论提供直接证据。单分子测量将能够确定分子罗盘精确建模所需的现实参数。此外，与其他现有的传感器不同，该分子将牢固地附着在我们的传感器上，而不是随机分布在溶液中，从而复制了隐花色素附着在动物组织上的情况。这项研究也将有助于我们理解环境电磁污染对鸟类和蜜蜂大脑的潜在影响。我们将研究电磁辐射对隐花色素性能的影响。有实验观察到，当暴露在射频电磁场（0.5至10兆赫兹）中时，即使使用极小的强度，候鸟的磁敏感性也会被破坏。“如果蜜蜂从地球表面消失，那么人类将只剩下四年的生命。”——阿尔伯特·爱因斯坦。这项研究对于为未来开发磁敏分子机制奠定基础至关重要，合成生物学可以从中获利，它将有助于理解量子生物学中的复杂效应，以及量子计算机中量子比特的长期研究。这项研究也可能导致制造超紧凑的设备，可以通过一束电磁辐射远程引导。该项目还将有助于了解电磁污染对鸟类、蜜蜂和其他磁敏感动物的影响。

Magneto-responsive proteins play a key role in neural systems and in the molecular compasses of migrating birds. Two decades ago, a protein called cryptochrome was suggested as a key component of the molecular compass.The process of conversion between the singlet and triplet state of a cryptochrome protein forms the basis of magneto-sensing in birds. It has a quantum origin, which is evident in the proposed quantum beats of its dynamics. In fact, sensing of the geomagnetic field, six orders of magnitude smaller than the thermal energy, would not be possible in a classical way. To date, there has been no experimental single-molecule study of the quantum beat effect in cryptochrome. We propose to leverage the extreme sensitivity of a state-of-the art optical single-molecule optoplasmonic WGM sensor to resolve such transitions in real-time, and to determine the magneto-sensitive quantum yield of a single cryptochrome protein. We will also probe the influence of environmental electromagnetic radiation on the dynamics and magneto-sensing of cryptochrome. This study is ground-breaking because it will provide direct proof of the theory of cryptochrome protein acting as the magneto-sensor of the molecular compass. The single molecule measurement will be able to determine the realistic parameters that are needed for the accurate modelling of the molecular compass. Also, contrary to other existing sensors, the molecule will be firmly attached to our sensor, and not randomly distributed in a solution, thereby replicating the condition of cryptochrome attached to a tissue of an animal. This study will also shed light on our understanding the potential influence of environmental electromagnetic pollution on the brain of birds and bees. We will study the influence of the electromagnetic radiation on the performance of the cryptochrome. It has been experimentally observed that the magnetic sensitivity of migrating birds can be disrupted when exposed to radio-frequency electromagnetic fields (0.5 to 10 MHz), even if employing miniscule intensities. "If the bee disappear off the surface of the globe, then man would have only four years of life left" -Albert Einstein.This research will be crucial for preparing the ground for future exploitation of the magneto-sensitive molecular machinery from which synthetic biology can profit, it will contribute to the understanding of complex effects in quantum biology as well as for studies of qubits in quantum computers in the longer term. This study may also lead to fabrication of ultra-compact devices that can be remotely guided by a beam of the electromagnetic radiation. The project will also contribute to understanding of the influence of the electromagnetic pollution on birds, bees and other magneto-sensitive animals.