Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Light-driven Molecular Motors on Surfaces for Single Molecular Imaging
Published on: March 13, 2019
Propulsion of a molecular machine by asymmetric distribution of reaction products
Ramin Golestanian1, Tanniemola B Liverpool, Armand Ajdari
1Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Cambridge CB3 0EH, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
A simple model for the reaction-driven propulsion of a small device is proposed as a model for (part of) a molecular machine in aqueous media. The motion of the device is driven by an asymmetric distribution of reaction products. The propulsive velocity of the device is calculated as well as the scale of the velocity fluctuations. The effects of hydrodynamic flow as well as a number of different scenarios for the kinetics of the reaction are addressed.
Related Concept Videos
Chemiosmosis
Electron Transport Chain
The electron transport chain involves a series of protein complexes on the inner mitochondrial membrane that undergo a series of redox reactions. At the end of this chain, the electrons reduce...
Mechanical Protein Functions
ATP Driven Pumps I: An Overview
There are four main types of ATP-driven pumps - P-type, V-type, F-type, and ABC transporter. All these pumps are of varying complexities and are...
ATP Synthase: Mechanism
ATP Synthase: Structure
Chemiosmosis and ATP Synthesis

