Figure 2
From: Vibration assisted electron tunnelling in COVID-19 infection using quantum state diffusion
A schematic depiction of intra-protein electron transfer during the interaction of the COVID-19 virus with a cellular receptor. For simplicity, only five trans-membrane helices of the receptor are illustrated as cylinders. (a) The virus approaches the receptor, with an electron localized at the donor site D. (b) The spike protein of the virus attaches to the ligand-binding domain, triggering a conformational alteration in the receptor-virus complex. (c) An electron transitions from D to A, instigating pronounced vibrations in the spike protein. (d) Subsequently, the spike protein detaches from the ligand-binding domain. This diagrammatic representation aids in understanding the electron transfer dynamics during the virus-receptor interaction.
