Quantum-Induced Conformational Gating: Enzyme Selectivity Through Transient Quantum Coherence

Inspired by Abbas et al. (2023), who observed enzyme-specific quantum coherence and persistent entanglement, this idea pushes further: What if such quantum phenomena transiently alter the enzyme’s conformational landscape, effectively opening or closing specific reaction channels in real time? Most mechanistic studies (e.g., Kholodar et al., 2018) focus on static or thermally averaged pathways, but do not consider how femtosecond-scale coherence might bias the enzyme toward non-classical, unexpected pathways. By integrating high-resolution ultrafast spectroscopy (see also Huxter, 2024) with advanced quantum dynamics simulations, we could probe whether "quantum gating" events tip the balance between parallel pathways, providing a mechanistic basis for anomalous selectivity or product distributions. This could upend our understanding of enzyme specificity, especially in cases where experimental outcomes defy classical predictions.

References:

1. Parallel reaction pathways and noncovalent intermediates in thymidylate synthase revealed by experimental and computational tools. S. A. Kholodar, Ananda K Ghosh, K. Świderek, V. Moliner, A. Kohen (2018). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
2. Quantum Biochemistry: Unveiling the Quantum Coherence in Enzyme Catalysis. Ameen Abbas, Mashhud-Ul-Hasan Abid, Hafza Mahnoor, Malaika Bukhari, Rameen Malik, Muhammad Jaon Haider, Rabish Rafique, Mishaal Fatima, Taiba Shoaib (2023). FRONTIERS IN CHEMICAL SCIENCES.
3. Advancing Organic Photoredox Catalysis: Mechanistic Insight through Time-Resolved Spectroscopy.. V. Huxter (2024). Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters.