A groundbreaking study by UBC Okanagan chemists is challenging long held ideas about how enzymes work, revealing that quantum forces play a key role in controlling dangerous molecules called free radicals.

Enzymes, nature’s biocatalysts, drive essential life processes. Some, known as radical enzymes, harness unstable free radicals to carry out complex reactions. While free radicals are often linked to diseases like cancer, they are also vital for normal biological functions.

The research, led by doctoral student Hossein Khalilian and featured on the cover of the Journal of the American Chemical Society, focuses on viperin an enzyme involved in the immune response. Using computer simulations, the team discovered that viperin uses subtle quantum Coulombic interactions electrostatic forces at the quantum level to stabilize and control free radicals.

“This was unexpected,” says Khalilian. “The radical was gently held in place by quantum forces, just long enough for the enzyme to do its job without causing damage.”

This is the first time such quantum effects have been shown to play a critical role in enzyme function. The findings could reshape enzyme design, drug development, and our broader understanding of biochemical reactions.

Principal investigator Dr. Gino DiLabio says further research is underway to see if this quantum mechanism is common in other radical enzymes potentially opening new frontiers in biotechnology and medicine.

Source : https://news.ok.ubc.ca/2025/07/22/quantum-discovery-reveals-how-enzymes-tame-free-radicals/