Issue 2, 2017

How molecular motors work – insights from the molecular machinist's toolbox: the Nobel prize in Chemistry 2016

Abstract

The Nobel prize in Chemistry for 2016 was awarded to Jean Pierre Sauvage, Sir James Fraser Stoddart, and Bernard (Ben) Feringa for their contributions to the design and synthesis of molecular machines. While this field is still in its infancy, and at present there are no commercial applications, many observers have stressed the tremendous potential of molecular machines to revolutionize technology. However, perhaps the most important result so far accruing from the synthesis of molecular machines is the insight provided into the fundamental mechanisms by which molecular motors, including biological motors such as kinesin, myosin, FoF1 ATPase, and the flagellar motor, function. The ability to “tinker” with separate components of molecular motors allows asking, and answering, specific questions about mechanism, particularly with regard to light driven vs. chemistry driven molecular motors.

Graphical abstract: How molecular motors work – insights from the molecular machinist's toolbox: the Nobel prize in Chemistry 2016

Article information

Article type
Minireview
Submitted
29 okt 2016
Accepted
18 nov 2016
First published
21 nov 2016
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY license

Chem. Sci., 2017,8, 840-845

How molecular motors work – insights from the molecular machinist's toolbox: the Nobel prize in Chemistry 2016

R. D. Astumian, Chem. Sci., 2017, 8, 840 DOI: 10.1039/C6SC04806D

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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