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Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Biophysical Characterization of Flagellar Motor Functions
Published on: January 18, 2017
Fluctuation theorem for the flashing ratchet model of molecular motors
1Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie Théorique, UMR 7083, ESPCI, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France.
Abstract:
Molecular motors convert chemical energy derived from the hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) into mechanical energy. A well-studied model of a molecular motor is the flashing ratchet model. We show that this model exhibits a fluctuation relation known as the Gallavotti-Cohen symmetry. Our study highlights the fact that the symmetry is present only if the chemical and mechanical degrees of freedom are both included in the description.
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