Control of cellular processes by the coupling of resonant energy to hydrogen transfer reactions. I. Application to enzyme mechanisms.

A hypothesis is presented that electronic and vibrational resonant energy states are important in biochemical reactions due to their coupling to hydrogen transfer reactions. The hypothesis is based upon (1) the involvement of hydrogen in most biochemical reactions, (2) the unique abiity of hydrogen to act as an energy trap for resonant energy and (3) demonstrations of the coupling of resonant energy to hydrogen transfers in various systems. The dependence of the transfer of resonant energy upon the overlapping of energy levels, and upon molecular geometry, can be related to the sequence or coordination of’biochemical reactions, and to the requirement of structural integrity of ce&lar components for many biochemical processes. The reversibility of the hydrogen transfers may provide a means for the storage and subsequent liberation of the resonant energy. Some characteristics of resonant energy states, and the ability of hydrogen to act as a trap for resonant energy are discussed. The coupling of resonant energy to hydrogen transfers is ‘related to mechanisms of enzyme action. Possible means of contirming this hypothesis and a comparison of it to some other related processes are presented.