Quantum Mutants.

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  • Author(s): Fischer, Lars (AUTHOR); Stix, Gary (AUTHOR)
  • Source:
    Scientific American. Sep2022, Vol. 327 Issue 3, p14-15. 2p.
  • Additional Information
    • Subject Terms:
    • Abstract:
      THEORETICAL CHEMISTRY Many biologists assume that bizarre quantum phenomena play a relatively negligible role inside the cell. But if the proton does not make it back by the time the two DNA strands separate - the first step of DNA replication - the cytosine might bind to a different base, adenine, rather than guanine. Their theoretical model incorporated the quantum effects that allow a proton, bound to the base cytosine on one strand, to spontaneously "tunnel" and hook up to the guanine base on the other. [Extracted from the article]