A new channel for excitonic transport in the FMO complex

Abstract: We expose a new excitation transport channel in FMO, consisting of the 7 intramonomeric pigments and their 2nd nearest intermonomeric counterpart. Such a channel outcompetes the standard alternative, where intramonomeric pigments partner with their closest intermonomeric pigment. The efficient performance of the new channel lies at the interplay between incoherent energy transfer and the capacity of quantum coherence to build optimal acceptor levels. Finally, the differential fitness and peculiarity of the new over the alternative channel highlights its possible role within natural selection.