Statistical Amplification of the Effects of Weak Magnetic Fields in Cellular Translation

PAPER manual Cells 2023 Other Effect: harm Evidence: Low

Read original paper → DOI: 10.3390/cells12050724 PMID: 36899858 Evidence Lab

Abstract

Statistical Amplification of the Effects of Weak Magnetic Fields in Cellular Translation Binhi VN. Statistical Amplification of the Effects of Weak Magnetic Fields in Cellular Translation. Cells. 2023 Feb 24;12(5):724. doi: 10.3390/cells12050724. Abstract We assume that the enzymatic processes of recognition of amino acids and their addition to the synthesized molecule in cellular translation include the formation of intermediate pairs of radicals with spin-correlated electrons. The mathematical model presented describes the changes in the probability of incorrectly synthesized molecules in response to a change in the external weak magnetic field. A relatively high chance of errors has been shown to arise from the statistical enhancement of the low probability of local incorporation errors. This statistical mechanism does not require a long thermal relaxation time of electron spins of about 1 μs-a conjecture often used to match theoretical models of magnetoreception with experiments. The statistical mechanism allows for experimental verification by testing the usual Radical Pair Mechanism properties. In addition, this mechanism localizes the site where magnetic effects originate, the ribosome, which makes it possible to verify it by biochemical methods. This mechanism predicts a random nature of the nonspecific effects caused by weak and hypomagnetic fields and agrees with the diversity of biological responses to a weak magnetic field. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

AI evidence extraction

At a glance

Study type

Other

Effect direction

harm

Population

—

Sample size

—

Exposure

ELF weak magnetic field (external)

Evidence strength

Low

Confidence: 74% · Peer-reviewed: yes

Main findings

The paper presents a mathematical model proposing that weak and hypomagnetic magnetic fields could alter the probability of translation errors via a statistical amplification mechanism involving spin-correlated radical pairs during ribosomal amino acid recognition/addition. The authors state this mechanism does not require long electron spin thermal relaxation times and could be experimentally verified by testing radical pair mechanism properties and by biochemical methods targeting the ribosome.

Outcomes measured

Probability of incorrectly synthesized molecules (translation errors)
Mechanistic predictions related to radical pair mechanism in ribosomal translation

Limitations

Modeling/assumptions paper; no experimental results are described in the abstract
Exposure characteristics (field strength, frequency, duration) are not specified in the abstract
Outcomes are theoretical predictions (error probabilities) rather than measured biological/health endpoints
Generality to real biological systems and conditions is not established in the abstract

View raw extracted JSON

{
    "publication_year": 2023,
    "study_type": "other",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "ELF",
        "source": "weak magnetic field (external)",
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": null
    },
    "population": null,
    "sample_size": null,
    "outcomes": [
        "Probability of incorrectly synthesized molecules (translation errors)",
        "Mechanistic predictions related to radical pair mechanism in ribosomal translation"
    ],
    "main_findings": "The paper presents a mathematical model proposing that weak and hypomagnetic magnetic fields could alter the probability of translation errors via a statistical amplification mechanism involving spin-correlated radical pairs during ribosomal amino acid recognition/addition. The authors state this mechanism does not require long electron spin thermal relaxation times and could be experimentally verified by testing radical pair mechanism properties and by biochemical methods targeting the ribosome.",
    "effect_direction": "harm",
    "limitations": [
        "Modeling/assumptions paper; no experimental results are described in the abstract",
        "Exposure characteristics (field strength, frequency, duration) are not specified in the abstract",
        "Outcomes are theoretical predictions (error probabilities) rather than measured biological/health endpoints",
        "Generality to real biological systems and conditions is not established in the abstract"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.7399999999999999911182158029987476766109466552734375,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "stance": "concern",
    "stance_confidence": 0.66000000000000003108624468950438313186168670654296875,
    "summary": "This paper proposes a mathematical model in which weak and hypomagnetic magnetic fields influence cellular translation by affecting spin-correlated radical pairs during ribosomal processes. The model suggests translation error rates could increase through statistical amplification of local incorporation errors. The authors argue the mechanism does not require long electron spin relaxation times and outline ways it could be experimentally tested.",
    "key_points": [
        "The work is a theoretical/mathematical model focused on magnetic-field effects on cellular translation.",
        "It assumes intermediate radical pairs with spin-correlated electrons occur during amino acid recognition/addition in translation.",
        "The model describes changes in the probability of incorrectly synthesized molecules with changes in weak external magnetic fields.",
        "A statistical amplification mechanism is proposed to enhance low-probability local errors into higher overall error chances.",
        "The mechanism is stated to be testable via standard Radical Pair Mechanism properties and biochemical approaches.",
        "The ribosome is proposed as the localized site where magnetic effects originate.",
        "The model predicts nonspecific effects of weak/hypomagnetic fields may appear random and could contribute to diverse biological responses."
    ],
    "categories": [
        "Mechanisms",
        "In Vitro & Cellular",
        "Magnetic Fields (ELF/Static)"
    ],
    "tags": [
        "Radical Pair Mechanism",
        "Weak Magnetic Fields",
        "Hypomagnetic Fields",
        "Cellular Translation",
        "Ribosome",
        "Spin Correlation",
        "Mathematical Model",
        "Translation Errors",
        "Mechanistic Hypothesis"
    ],
    "keywords": [
        "weak magnetic field",
        "hypomagnetic field",
        "cellular translation",
        "ribosome",
        "radical pair",
        "spin-correlated electrons",
        "statistical amplification",
        "incorporation errors"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [],
    "social": {
        "tweet": "New modeling paper proposes weak/hypomagnetic fields could influence ribosomal translation via radical-pair spin chemistry, statistically amplifying rare incorporation errors into higher overall translation error probability. Experimental tests are suggested.",
        "facebook": "A new theoretical paper models how weak and hypomagnetic magnetic fields might affect cellular translation. The authors propose a radical-pair-based statistical amplification mechanism at the ribosome that could increase translation errors and outline experimental ways to test the idea.",
        "linkedin": "This Cells (2023) paper presents a mathematical model proposing that weak/hypomagnetic magnetic fields could modulate ribosomal translation via radical-pair spin chemistry, with statistical amplification of rare incorporation errors. The authors discuss testable predictions and biochemical verification approaches."
    }
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract/metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.

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