The extraordinary dielectric properties of biological materials and the action of enzymes

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1975 Nov;72(11):4211-5. doi: 10.1073/pnas.72.11.4211.

Abstract

From very general theoretical considerations it is concluded that many biomolecules (i) should have metastable excited states with very high dipole moment, and (ii) should be capable of strongly excited giant dipole vibrations with frequencies near 10(11) Hz. Experimental evidence available so far seems to support these postulates. It is suggested that the two postulates should be of importance for the action of enzymes, and relevant experiments are proposed.

MeSH terms

  • Chemical Phenomena
  • Chemistry, Physical
  • Electromagnetic Phenomena
  • Enzymes*
  • Models, Biological
  • Proteins*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Enzymes
  • Proteins