Fluctuations of electric field in enzyme active site as an efficient source of reaction activation

The possibility that fluctuations of electric field strength (electrostatic fluctuations) in an enzyme active site are a source of reaction activation has been considered within the framework of a simple one-dimensional quantum model of reaction rates. The electric field is treated as a classical perturbation and the interaction of the field with the system is treated in dipolar approximation. The formula for the transition probability between energy levels under the influence of electrostatic fluctuations has been obtained. Numerical estimates with reasonable values of model parameters suggest that electrostatic fluctuations in the enzyme active site are able to provide reaction acceleration by a factor ∼103 compared with a reference nonenzymatic reaction in solution.