Journal Article

PreJuSER-1595

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Dynamics and Efficiency of Brownian Rotors

Bauer, W. R. ; Nadler, W.FZJ*

2008
American Institute of Physics Melville, NY

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Please use a persistent id in citations: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/18956  doi:10.1063/1.3026736

Abstract: Brownian rotors play an important role in biological systems and in future nanotechnological applications. However the mechanisms determining their dynamics, efficiency, and performance remain to be characterized. Here the F0 portion of the F-ATP synthase is considered as a paradigm of the Brownian rotor. In a generic analytical model we analyze the stochastic rotation of F0-like motors as a function of the driving free energy difference and of the free energy profile the rotor is subjected to. The latter is composed of the rotor interaction with its surroundings, of the free energy of chemical transitions, and of the workload. The dynamics and mechanical efficiency of the rotor depend on the magnitude of its stochastic motion driven by the free energy difference and its rectification on the reaction-diffusion path. We analyze which free energy profiles provide maximum flow and how their arrangement on the underlying reaction-diffusion path affects rectification and--by this--the efficiency.

Keyword(s): Biomechanics (MeSH) ; Cell Membrane: chemistry (MeSH) ; Cell Membrane: metabolism (MeSH) ; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions (MeSH) ; Models, Biological (MeSH) ; Proton-Translocating ATPases: metabolism (MeSH) ; Protons (MeSH) ; Rotation (MeSH) ; Thermodynamics (MeSH) ; Time Factors (MeSH) ; Protons ; Proton-Translocating ATPases ; J ; biochemistry (auto) ; biomechanics (auto) ; biothermics (auto) ; Brownian motion (auto) ; free energy (auto) ; molecular biophysics (auto) ; nanobiotechnology (auto) ; reaction-diffusion systems (auto) ; rectification (auto) ; rotors (auto) ; stochastic processes (auto)

Note: Part of this research was supported by the DFG (German Research Association) grant Sonderforschungsbereich (collaborative research center) SFB 688.

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC)

Research Program(s):

1. Scientific Computing (P41)

Appears in the scientific report 2008

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Database coverage:

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