Quantum tunnelling in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection 2022 Adams et al

Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has added new urgency to the study of viral mechanisms of infection. But while vaccines offer a measure of protection against this specific outbreak, a new era of pandemics has been predicted. In addition to this, COVID-19 has drawn attention to post-viral syndromes and the healthcare burden they entail. It seems integral that knowledge of viral mechanisms is increased through as wide a research field as possible.

To this end we propose that quantum biology might offer essential new insights into the problem, especially with regards to the important first step of virus-host invasion. Research in quantum biology often centres around energy or charge transfer. While this is predominantly in the context of photosynthesis there has also been some suggestion that cellular receptors such as olfactory or neural receptors might employ vibration assisted electron tunnelling to augment the lock-and-key mechanism. Quantum tunnelling has also been observed in enzyme function. Enzymes are implicated in the invasion of host cells by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Receptors such as olfactory receptors also appear to be disrupted by COVID-19.

Building on these observations we investigate the evidence that quantum tunnelling might be important in the context of infection with SARS-CoV-2. We illustrate this with a simple model relating the vibronic mode of, for example, a viral spike protein to the likelihood of charge transfer in an idealised receptor. Our results show a distinct parameter regime in which the vibronic mode of the spike protein enhances electron transfer. With this in mind, novel therapeutics to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission could potentially be identified by their vibrational spectra.

Open access, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-21321-1

 

None of the quantum stuff is directly relevant to our understanding in medicine (due to the physical size of viruses or even spike proteins) - there may be some interest to chemists, but any principles are not unique to this virus.

The manuscript curiously speculatates about the role of GPCR dysfunction in Long COVID and even ME. (this isn't surprising as they are involved with many diseases). Unfortunately it does so in a vague and rambling manner, so there is no direct message in terms of informing tomorrow's research.

 

It's not silly, just speculative.

Quantum tunneling is a well-known phenomenon to computer engineers, it's basically one of the biggest hurdles to building computer chips because of the wave nature of quantum field fluctuations. Processors are built out of wires, but fields radiate and when there is a lower energy path they can jump cross a gap. Tunneling is nothing magical.

This has long been speculated and there probably is a lot to discover in quantum biology, but this would be like trying to use genetics in a specific case right around the time the discipline was being built. Just way too early and specific to this problem, but it's a discipline that will grow massively with time.