Torque-speed relationship of the bacterial flagellar motor.
Many swimming bacteria are propelled by flagellar filaments driven by a rotary motor. Each of these tiny motors can generate an impressive torque. The motor torque vs. speed relationship is considered one of the most important measurable characteristics of the motor and therefore is a major criterion for judging models proposed for the working mechanism. Here we give an explicit explanation for this torque-speed curve. The same physics also can explain certain puzzling properties of other motors.
Xing
Jianhua
J
Departments of Molecular and Cell Biology and Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3112, USA.
Bai
Fan
F
Berry
Richard
R
Oster
George
G
D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics / Q000379:methods*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D005407:Flagella / Q000737:chemistry*; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000737:chemistry; D007477:Ions; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008954:Models, Biological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D009068:Movement; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry; D011487:Protein Conformation; D018892:Proton-Motive Force; D012399:Rotation; D012964:Sodium / Q000737:chemistry; D013816:Thermodynamics; D019415:Torque
D007473:Ion Channels; D007477:Ions; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins; D011137:Polystyrenes; D012964:Sodium