The sensitivity of a radical pair compass magnetoreceptor can be significantly amplified by radical scavengers.

ABSTRACT: Birds have a remarkable ability to obtain navigational information from the Earth's magnetic field. The primary detection mechanism of this compass sense is uncertain but appears to involve the quantum spin dynamics of radical pairs formed transiently in cryptochrome proteins. We propose here a new version of the current model in which spin-selective recombination of the radical pair is not essential. One of the two radicals is imagined to react with a paramagnetic scavenger via spin-selective electron transfer. By means of simulations of the spin dynamics of cryptochrome-inspired radical pairs, we show that the new scheme offers two clear and important benefits. The sensitivity to a 50 μT magnetic field is greatly enhanced and, unlike the current model, the radicals can be more than 2 nm

SUBMITTER: Kattnig DR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5599710 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature