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Related Experiment Videos

Using a system's equilibrium behavior to reduce its energy dissipation in nonequilibrium processes.

Sara Tafoya1,2,3, Steven J Large4, Shixin Liu5

  • 1Jason L. Choy Laboratory of Single Molecule Biophysics, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|March 15, 2019
PubMed
Summary

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Molecular machines achieve high thermodynamic efficiency by minimizing energy dissipation. This study validates a theory predicting optimal speeds for efficient out-of-equilibrium processes using DNA hairpins.

Area of Science:

  • Thermodynamics
  • Molecular Biophysics
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Cells require continuous energy use and dissipation to maintain function far from equilibrium.
  • Molecular machines exhibit remarkable thermodynamic efficiency compared to macroscopic systems.
  • Principles for efficient out-of-equilibrium operation of molecular machines are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To demonstrate the utility of a theoretical framework for designing efficient nonequilibrium processes.
  • To understand the energetic efficiency of molecular machines operating out of equilibrium.
  • To apply the theory to the dynamic processes of DNA hairpin unfolding and folding.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a theoretical framework involving a generalized friction coefficient to quantify energetic efficiency.
Keywords:
DNA hairpinsdissipationenergetic efficiencynonequilibriumsingle molecule

Related Experiment Videos

  • Investigated nonequilibrium processes in single DNA hairpins.
  • Applied principles of statistical mechanics and thermodynamics to analyze molecular machine operation.

    • Main Results:

    • Validated the theoretical prediction that optimal speed minimizes energy dissipation.
    • Demonstrated that external control speed should be inversely proportional to the square root of the friction coefficient for efficiency.
    • Provided insights into the energetic efficiency of DNA hairpin dynamics.

    Conclusions:

    • The theoretical framework successfully guides the design of energetically efficient nonequilibrium processes.
    • Understanding friction is key to optimizing molecular machine performance.
    • This approach offers a pathway to engineer more efficient biological and synthetic molecular machines.