They found that the LBHB couples to an extended hydrogen-bonded network, with distant mutations resulting in the loss of radical formation, and providing key molecular insight into the long- range radical transport mechanism in RNRs. On a general level, their findings support the direct involvement of LBHB in protein chemistry and the importance of quantum effects in enzyme catalysis.
Beyond uncovering how radicals are transported in RNRs, the study also provides strong evidence that low-barrier hydrogen bonds play a direct role in protein function. More broadly, the findings highlight how quantum effects can influence the way enzymes carry out complex chemical reactions.
The work was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.