Screening of Magnetic Field by Self-Assembled Mammalian and Fungal Microtubules

Microtubules are essential structural elements in living organisms, which form scaffolding of the cells and participate in transport of proteins and separation of chromosomes. They are highly ordered nanotubes built of two types of tubulin proteins and filled with water. It was suggested that additionally to the transport and mechanical functions, microtubules are crucial for the processing of information. Moreover, this processing is considered to be quantum-mechanical and even based on superconductivity. Previously, screening of magnetic field, which supports superconductivity, has been observed by magnetic force microscopy in the microtubules assembled from the mammalian tubulin. Here the study is extended to the fungal self-assembled microtubules. In spite of observed structural differences between the mammalian and fungal microtubules, both display full screening of magnetic field. The temporal scans reveal steady screening in the mammalian microtubules and a fluctuating screening in the fungal microtubules. The formation of links between the microtubules and their implication for the processing and transfer of information is discussed.