Truth is stranger than fiction
Well, in this case, biological fact is stranger than theory. In an study published in the April 14th issue of Science by an interdisciplinary group of UK researchers from the University of Bristol and the University of Manchester examined the workings of the aromatic amine dehydrogenase enzyme, on how it manages to extract protons from tryptamine, one of the compounds related to serotonin, a neurotransmitter. Using computer modelling (based on X-ray crystallography data), they simulated the action of the enzyme, resulting in the discovery that the enzyme’s action is due to a quantum effect, called tunneling. The amazing part is that they claim is that whole hydrogen atoms (a proton plus an electron) are being tunneled.
This has, if confirmed by further research (the discovery is not without controversy), far reaching implications on areas other than biology. A summary of the findings can be found in the Seed science magazine, and also in the Economist (subscription required).
