INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BIOPHYSICS
Conference on Biophotons 1999
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ON THE POSSIBILITY OF A STORAGE AND A COHERENT EMISSION OF THE ABSORBED PHOTONIC ENERGY BY BIOPOLYMERS

E.A.Nikonova* and Z.D. Vishnevetzky

*Academ. Varga Str 24-25 Moscow 117133 Russia

A possibility of a photonic energy storage is crucial for a cell's self-organization starting from its origination from non-biogenic molecules. It is reasonable therefore to consider such a possibility for the case of the autocatalized ribonucleic acids (RNA).

A photon absorbed by a molecule is known to excite not only the electronic levels but its other energetical levels as well. Consequently the photon absorbing molecule rearranges its conformation, passing from one equilibrium state to another; the remaining part of the absorbed energy is thermally dissipated. If a photon has been absorbed by a monomere of a simple polymeric chain with free (hinge-like) bonds looking due to thermal (Brownian) movement like a broken line just a single fracture will be added to the line.

However the biopolymer chains are always curvilinear rather than broken lines due to their intrinsically regulated stiffness. In particular, RNA possesses side groups (bases) exhibiting so called stacking interactions stabilizing the form of a chain. Thus, if any of RNA monomeres absorbs a photon the entire chain's deformation is slowed down and the inner strain is created due to Coulombrian forces acting between the monomeres. After spreading along few neighboring monomeres the strain will be confronted by elastic forces. As a result, the strained part of a chain will take the form of a kink fixed at the kink's neck by H-bonds existing between the opposite bases. Such a kink created by the accumulation of a photonic energy is metastable and can be regarded as a «quantum» of an elastic energy.

Spontaneous disruption of H-bonds leads to the straightening of the strained kink and the release of elastic energy which can be partly restored due to photon emission. At the same time, it generates an ultraweak electromagnetic impulse created by the moving charges of a strained kink and an ultraweak mechanical impulse applied to the water medium. Whereas the electromagnetic impulse tends to orient water dipoles, the mechanical impulse will be propagated throughout an ordered water as a kind of elastic vibrations (even enhanced by an intrinsic water energy associated with its abnormal thermal capacity). Meanwhile the elastic vibrations of dipoles are identical to their electromagnetic vibrations and vice versa. If one suggests that such a combined wave is able to pass about 10 nm distance for reaching the next kink, disrupting its own fixing H-bonds and emitting a similar coherent wave the entire process may be similar to the induced radiation of a laser.

Presumably the concentrated solution of RNA chains while being affected, under atmosphereless conditions of the early Earth by unusually strong UV radiation, might play a role of a dynamically active system with just the same properties, which is indispensable for passing towards the further steps of a cell's'self-organization.
 

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