Bridging the Gap Between the Theoretical and Empirical Reorganization Energy
Abstract
Biological electron transfer (ET) reactions are fundamental to the production of energy in all living cells. Efficient, site-selective ET is crucial for effective metabolic processes to sustain life. An accurate description of the ET process through a protein complex is lacking. In particular, with the methylamine dehydrogenase (MADH) and amicyanin protein complex there is a discrepancy between the theoretical and the empirical reorganization energy. Attempts at better understanding the reorganization energy of reaction involve adapting Marcus theory, the standard for simple ET reactions, by describing the reorganization energy with a two-parameter model. In this thesis I apply the two-parameter model to the MADH-amicyanin system. It does not reconcile the discrepancy between the theoretical and empirical reorganization energy. The results of this work provide insight, consistent with other systems onto which the two-parameter has been applied, into why Marcus theory breaks down.
Description
Keywords
Physics--Molecular
Citation
Johannes, J. (2016). Bridging the Gap Between the Theoretical and Empirical Reorganization Energy (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/25165