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Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 238101 (2008) [4 pages]

Coordinated Chemomechanical Cycles: A Mechanism for Autonomous Molecular Motion

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S. J. Green, J. Bath, and A. J. Turberfield*
University of Oxford, Department of Physics, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PU, United Kingdom

See Also: Erratum

Received 15 February 2008; revised 10 September 2008; published 3 December 2008

See accompanying Physics Synopsis

The second law of thermodynamics requires that directed motion be accompanied by dissipation of energy. Here we demonstrate the working principles of a bipedal molecular motor. The motor is constructed from DNA and is driven by the hybridization of a DNA fuel. We show how the catalytic activities of the feet can be coordinated to create a Brownian ratchet that is in principle capable of directional and processive movement along a track. This system can be driven away from equilibrium, demonstrating the potential of the motor to do work.

© 2008 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.238101
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.101.238101
PACS:
87.15.hj, 81.07.Nb, 81.16.Dn, 87.14.gk

*a.turberfield@physics.ox.ac.uk

Supported by EPSRC, BBSRC, MRC and by the MoD through the Bionanotechnology IRC.

See Also

Erratum: S. J. Green, J. Bath, and A. J. Turberfield, Erratum: Coordinated Chemomechanical Cycles: A Mechanism for Autonomous Molecular Motion [Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 238101 (2008)], Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 139901 (2009).

 
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