On the influence of structural features of DNA on the possibility of metabolic transfer of electrons

Abstract

A fragment of a DNA molecule is considered as one of the channels of metabolic electron transfer. The heterogeneity of the complementary chains is effectively taken into account. This made it possible to find the speed of the electron injected into the DNA conduction band and the current density that it creates. Estimates of electron mobility in nucleic acid chains are made. They were an order of magnitude smaller than that of typical semiconductors. For the specific conductivity of nucleic acid chains, estimates provide a conductivity of one to two orders of magnitude lower than in graphite.