Statistical Amplification of the Effects of Weak Magnetic Fields in Cellular Translation

Abstract

Overview

In this study, we explore the impact of weak magnetic fields on the process of cellular translation—the mechanism by which proteins are synthesized in cells. Our research focuses on the initial stages of this process, where enzymes recognize amino acids and add them to the growing protein chain.

Findings

• The introduction of weak magnetic fields influences the formation of intermediate radical pairs with spin-correlated electrons, potentially leading to errors in protein synthesis.
• A mathematical model has been developed to show how changes in these fields can statistically increase the chances of error during the synthesis process.
• This enhancement in error probability does not rely on long thermal relaxation times of electron spins, challenging existing theories in magnetoreception studies.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that weak and hypomagnetic fields could lead to nonspecific biological effects due to their impact on radical pair dynamics in cellular translation. We propose that these effects, while random and diverse, can be experimentally verified through biochemical methods focused on the ribosome, the site of these magnetic interactions.