Quantum-classical model of retinal photoisomerization reaction in visual pigment rhodopsin

• Published in: Doklady. Biochemistry and biophysics Vol. 471; no. 1; pp. 435 - 439
• Main Authors: Lakhno, V. D., Shigaev, A. S., Feldman, T. B., Nadtochenko, V. A., Ostrovsky, M. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Moscow Pleiades Publishing 01-11-2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Algorithms; Biochemistry; Biological and Medical Physics; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biophysics; Isomerism; Life Sciences; Models, Theoretical; Molecular Biology; Molecular Structure; Photochemical Processes; Pigments; Quantum Theory; Retina; Retina - chemistry; Rhodopsin - chemistry; Vitamin A - chemistry
• ISSN: 1607-6729; 1608-3091
• DOI: 10.1134/S1607672916060168

A quantum-classical model of photoisomerization of the visual pigment rhodopsin chromophore is proposed. At certain (and more realistic) parameter value combinations, the model is shown to accurately reproduce a number of independent experimental data on the photoreaction dynamics: the quantum yield, the time to reach the point of conical intersection of potential energy surfaces, the termination time of the evolution of quantum subsystem, as well as the characteristic low frequencies of retinal molecular lattice fluctuations during photoisomerization. In addition, the model behavior is in good accordance with experimental data about coherence and local character of quantum transition.