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Molecular motors are natural (biological) or artificial molecular machines that are the essential agents of movement in living organisms. In general terms, a motor is a device that consumes energy in one form and converts it into motion or mechanical work ; for example, many protein -based molecular motors harness the chemical free energy ...
The first example of an artificial molecular machine (a switchable molecular shuttle). The positively charged ring (blue) is initially positioned over the benzidine unit (green), but shifts to the biphenol unit (red) when the benzidine gets protonated (purple) as a result of electrochemical oxidation or lowering of the pH .
Synthetic molecular motors are molecular machines capable of continuous directional rotation under an energy input. [2] Although the term "molecular motor" has traditionally referred to a naturally occurring protein that induces motion (via protein dynamics), some groups also use the term when referring to non-biological, non-peptide synthetic motors.
Many of these molecular motors are ubiquitous in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, although some, such as those involved with cytoskeletal elements or chromatin, are unique to eukaryotes. The motor protein prestin, [14] expressed in mammalian cochlear outer hair cells, produces mechanical amplification in the cochlea. It is a direct ...
In general terms, a motor is a device that consumes energy in one form and converts it into motion or mechanical work; for example, many protein-based molecular motors harness the chemical free energy released by the hydrolysis of ATP in order to perform mechanical work. [10]
The motor, the world's smallest electric motor, [2] is just a nanometer (billionth of a meter) across [3] (60 000 times smaller than the thickness of a human hair). It was developed by the Sykes group and scientists at the Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences and published online September 4, 2011.
Intracellular transport that requires quick movement will use an actin-myosin mechanism while more specialized functions require microtubules for transport. [5] Microtubules function as tracks in the intracellular transport of membrane-bound vesicles and organelles. This process is propelled by motor proteins such as dynein.
The current flowing from the tip of the STM is used to drive the directional rotation of the molecule [45] or of a part of it. [44] The operation of such nanomotors relies on classical physics and is related to the concept of Brownian motors. [46] These examples of nanomotors are also known as molecular motors.