---
_id: '14037'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: 'Traditionally, nuclear spin is not considered to affect biological processes.
    Recently, this has changed as isotopic fractionation that deviates from classical
    mass dependence was reported both in vitro and in vivo. In these cases, the isotopic
    effect correlates with the nuclear magnetic spin. Here, we show nuclear spin effects
    using stable oxygen isotopes (16O, 17O, and 18O) in two separate setups: an artificial
    dioxygen production system and biological aquaporin channels in cells. We observe
    that oxygen dynamics in chiral environments (in particular its transport) depend
    on nuclear spin, suggesting future applications for controlled isotope separation
    to be used, for instance, in NMR. To demonstrate the mechanism behind our findings,
    we formulate theoretical models based on a nuclear-spin-enhanced switch between
    electronic spin states. Accounting for the role of nuclear spin in biology can
    provide insights into the role of quantum effects in living systems and help inspire
    the development of future biotechnology solutions.'
acknowledgement: N.M.-S. acknowledges the support of the Ministry of Energy, Israel,
  as part of the scholarship program for graduate students in the fields of energy.
  M.L. acknowledges support by the European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant
  No. 801770 (ANGULON). Y.P. acknowledges the support of the Ministry of Innovation,
  Science and Technology, Israel Grant No. 1001593872. Y.P acknowledges the support
  of the BSF-NSF 094 Grant No. 2022503.
article_number: e2300828120
article_processing_charge: Yes (in subscription journal)
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Ofek
  full_name: Vardi, Ofek
  last_name: Vardi
- first_name: Naama
  full_name: Maroudas-Sklare, Naama
  last_name: Maroudas-Sklare
- first_name: Yuval
  full_name: Kolodny, Yuval
  last_name: Kolodny
- first_name: Artem
  full_name: Volosniev, Artem
  id: 37D278BC-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Volosniev
  orcid: 0000-0003-0393-5525
- first_name: Amijai
  full_name: Saragovi, Amijai
  last_name: Saragovi
- first_name: Nir
  full_name: Galili, Nir
  last_name: Galili
- first_name: Stav
  full_name: Ferrera, Stav
  last_name: Ferrera
- first_name: Areg
  full_name: Ghazaryan, Areg
  id: 4AF46FD6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Ghazaryan
  orcid: 0000-0001-9666-3543
- first_name: Nir
  full_name: Yuran, Nir
  last_name: Yuran
- first_name: Hagit P.
  full_name: Affek, Hagit P.
  last_name: Affek
- first_name: Boaz
  full_name: Luz, Boaz
  last_name: Luz
- first_name: Yonaton
  full_name: Goldsmith, Yonaton
  last_name: Goldsmith
- first_name: Nir
  full_name: Keren, Nir
  last_name: Keren
- first_name: Shira
  full_name: Yochelis, Shira
  last_name: Yochelis
- first_name: Itay
  full_name: Halevy, Itay
  last_name: Halevy
- first_name: Mikhail
  full_name: Lemeshko, Mikhail
  id: 37CB05FA-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Lemeshko
  orcid: 0000-0002-6990-7802
- first_name: Yossi
  full_name: Paltiel, Yossi
  last_name: Paltiel
citation:
  ama: Vardi O, Maroudas-Sklare N, Kolodny Y, et al. Nuclear spin effects in biological
    processes. <i>Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States
    of America</i>. 2023;120(32). doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2300828120">10.1073/pnas.2300828120</a>
  apa: Vardi, O., Maroudas-Sklare, N., Kolodny, Y., Volosniev, A., Saragovi, A., Galili,
    N., … Paltiel, Y. (2023). Nuclear spin effects in biological processes. <i>Proceedings
    of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America</i>. National
    Academy of Sciences. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2300828120">https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2300828120</a>
  chicago: Vardi, Ofek, Naama Maroudas-Sklare, Yuval Kolodny, Artem Volosniev, Amijai
    Saragovi, Nir Galili, Stav Ferrera, et al. “Nuclear Spin Effects in Biological
    Processes.” <i>Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States
    of America</i>. National Academy of Sciences, 2023. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2300828120">https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2300828120</a>.
  ieee: O. Vardi <i>et al.</i>, “Nuclear spin effects in biological processes,” <i>Proceedings
    of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America</i>, vol.
    120, no. 32. National Academy of Sciences, 2023.
  ista: Vardi O, Maroudas-Sklare N, Kolodny Y, Volosniev A, Saragovi A, Galili N,
    Ferrera S, Ghazaryan A, Yuran N, Affek HP, Luz B, Goldsmith Y, Keren N, Yochelis
    S, Halevy I, Lemeshko M, Paltiel Y. 2023. Nuclear spin effects in biological processes.
    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
    120(32), e2300828120.
  mla: Vardi, Ofek, et al. “Nuclear Spin Effects in Biological Processes.” <i>Proceedings
    of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America</i>, vol.
    120, no. 32, e2300828120, National Academy of Sciences, 2023, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2300828120">10.1073/pnas.2300828120</a>.
  short: O. Vardi, N. Maroudas-Sklare, Y. Kolodny, A. Volosniev, A. Saragovi, N. Galili,
    S. Ferrera, A. Ghazaryan, N. Yuran, H.P. Affek, B. Luz, Y. Goldsmith, N. Keren,
    S. Yochelis, I. Halevy, M. Lemeshko, Y. Paltiel, Proceedings of the National Academy
    of Sciences of the United States of America 120 (2023).
date_created: 2023-08-13T22:01:12Z
date_published: 2023-07-31T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2025-09-09T12:47:53Z
day: '31'
ddc:
- '530'
department:
- _id: MiLe
doi: 10.1073/pnas.2300828120
ec_funded: 1
external_id:
  isi:
  - '001121663600001'
  pmid:
  - '37523549'
file:
- access_level: open_access
  checksum: a5ed64788a5acef9b9a300a26fa5a177
  content_type: application/pdf
  creator: dernst
  date_created: 2023-08-14T07:43:45Z
  date_updated: 2023-08-14T07:43:45Z
  file_id: '14047'
  file_name: 2023_PNAS_Vardi.pdf
  file_size: 1003092
  relation: main_file
  success: 1
file_date_updated: 2023-08-14T07:43:45Z
has_accepted_license: '1'
intvolume: '       120'
isi: 1
issue: '32'
language:
- iso: eng
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
month: '07'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
pmid: 1
project:
- _id: 2688CF98-B435-11E9-9278-68D0E5697425
  call_identifier: H2020
  grant_number: '801770'
  name: 'Angulon: physics and applications of a new quasiparticle'
publication: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States
  of America
publication_identifier:
  eissn:
  - 1091-6490
publication_status: published
publisher: National Academy of Sciences
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: Nuclear spin effects in biological processes
tmp:
  image: /images/cc_by_nc_nd.png
  legal_code_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode
  name: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
    (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
  short: CC BY-NC-ND (4.0)
type: journal_article
user_id: 317138e5-6ab7-11ef-aa6d-ffef3953e345
volume: 120
year: '2023'
...