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Yuanzihe wuli pinglun

Quantum Information Processing in the Wall of Microtubule

Chunhua Shi, Qiu Xijun

Published Dec 20, 2005• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

Microtubule (MT) is described as an anisotropic two-dimensional pseudo spin model on a triangular lattice, in which there are three different ”spin-spin” interactions. The mobile electron in each lattice site is described based on the pseudo-spin model. Then, the processing of quantum information in the MT wall is presented by virtue of the scheme of driving quantum computer in sequence of laser pulse developed by Lloyd.

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•Jun 1, 2003•21 citations
Microtubule (MT) is described as an anisotropic two-dimensional pseudo spin model on a triangular lattice, in which there are three different ”spin-spin” interactions. The mobile electron in each lattice site is described based on the pseudo-spin model. Then, the processing of quantum information in the MT wall is presented by virtue of the scheme of driving quantum computer in sequence of laser pulse developed by Lloyd.
We focus on potential mechanisms for `energy-loss-free' transport along the cell microtubules, which could be considered as realizations of Fröhlich's ideas on the role of solitons for superconductivity and/or biological matter. In particular, by representing the MT arrangements as `cavities',we present a novel scenario on the formation of macroscopic (or mesoscopic) quantum-coherent states, as a result of the (quantum-electromagnetic) interactions of the MT dimers with the surrounding molecules of the ordered water in the interior of the MT cylinders. We present some generic order of magnitude estimates of the decoherence time in a typical model for MT dynamics. The role of (conjectured) ferroelectric properties of MT arrangements on the above quantum phenomena is emphasized. Based on these considerations, we also present a conjecture on the role of the MT in `holographic' information processing, which resembles the situation encountered in internal source X-ray holography in atomic physics.
Recent experimental research with marine algae points towards quantum entanglement at ambient temperature, with correlations between essential biological units separated by distances as long as 20 Angströms. The associated decoherence times, due to environmental influences, are found to be of order 400 fs. This prompted some authors to connect such findings with the possibility of some kind of quantum computation taking place in these biological entities: within the decoherence time scales, the cell "quantum calculates" the optimal "path" along which energy and signal would be transported more efficiently. Prompted by these experimental results, in this talk I remind the audience of a related topic proposed several years ago in connection with the possible rôle of quantum mechanics and/or field theory on dissipation-free energy transfer in microtubules (MT), which constitute fundamental cell substructures. The basic assumption was to view the cell MT as quantum electrodynamical cavities, providing sufficient isolation in vivo to enable the formation of electric-dipole quantum coherent solitonic states across the tubulin dimer walls. Crucial to this, were argued to be the electromagnetic interactions of the dipole moments of the tubulin dimers with the dipole quanta in the ordered water interiors of the MT, that play the rôle of quantum coherent cavity modes. Quantum entanglement between tubulin dimers was argued to be possible, provided there exists sufficient isolation from other environmental cell effects. The model was based on certain ferroelectric aspects of MT. Subsequent experiments in vitro could not confirm ferroelectricity at room temperatures, however they provided experimental measurements of the induced electric dipole moments of the MT under the influence of external electric fields. Nevertheless, this does not demonstrate that in vivo MT are not ferroelectric materials. More refined experiments should be done. In the talk I review the model and the associated experimental tests so far and discuss future directions, especially in view of the algae photo-experiments.
The regular structures obtained by optical lattice technology and their behavior are analyzed from the quantum information perspective. Initially, we demonstrate that a triangular optical lattice of two atomic species, bosonic or fermionic, can be employed to generate a variety of novel spin-1/2 models that include effective three-spin interactions. Such interactions can be employed to simulate specific one-or two-dimensional physical systems that are of particular interest for their condensed matter and entanglement properties. In particular, connections between the scaling behavior of entanglement and the entanglement properties of closely spaced spins are drawn. Moreover, three-spin interactions are well suited to support quantum computing without the need to manipulate individual qubits. By employing Raman transitions or the interaction of the atomic electric dipole moment with magnetic field gradients, one can generate Hamiltonians that can be used for the physical implementation of geometric or topological objects. This work serves as a review article that also includes many new results.
Prompted by recent experimental results in marine algae, indicating quantum entanglement at ambient temperature, with correlations between essential biological units separated by distances as long as 20 Angstroms and decoherence times, due to environmental influences, of order 400 fs, I review here a related topic proposed several years ago in connection with the possible rôle of quantum mechanics and/or field theory on dissipation-free energy transfer in (brain) microtubules (MT). The basic assumption was to view the cell MT as quantum electrodynamical cavities, providing sufficient isolation in vivo to enable the formation of electric-dipole quantum coherent solitonic states across the tubulin dimer walls. Crucial to this, were argued to be the electromagnetic interactions of the dipole moments of the tubulin dimers with the dipole quanta in the ordered water interiors of the MT, that play the rôle of quantum coherent cavity modes. Quantum entanglement between tubulin dimers was argued to be possible, provided there exists sufficient isolation from other environmental cell effects. Thus, decoherence times as long as 10 −7 −10 −6 s could characterise the MT systems. The model was based on certain ferroelectric aspects of MT. In the talk I revisit these decoherence time scales in light of the algae measurements and argue that, even if the environmental decoherence implies short time scales of order of a few hundreds of fs, this is a sufficient time for some kind of quantum computation to take place in (brain) MT, so that within these time scales the cell "quantum calculates" the optimal "path" along which energy and signal (information) are transported most efficiently along the MT.
Dynamical activities within living eukaryotic cells are organized by microtubules, main structural components of the cytoskeleton and cylindrical polymers of the protein tubulin. Evidence and theoretical models suggest that states of tubulin may play the role of “bits ” in classical microtubule computational automata. The advent of quantum information devices, key roles played by quantum processes in protein dynamics, and coherent ordering in the cell cytoplasm further suggest that microtubules may function as quantum computational devices, and that mesoscopic and macroscopic quantum states are characteristic of living systems. In this paper new results from molecular dynamics simulation based on recently obtained atomic structure of tubulin are presented which provide support for classical and quantum modes of microtubule information processing. 1. Introduction: Cytoplasm