Molecular Machines

About Molecular Machines

• Molecular machines, or nanomachines, are combinations of molecular components that produce mechanical movements (output) in response to specific stimuli (input).
• They convert energy into motion to perform specific tasks.
• Mechanism:
  • Stimulus: Molecular machines respond to inputs such as light, temperature, electric current or chemical reactions.
  • Movement: They produce mechanical movements, including rotation and changes between stable states.
  • Recent Example: Researchers developed a corkscrew-shaped molecule that cycles through different states when electric current flows in one direction and reverses its sequence when the current flows in the opposite direction.
• Scale: These machines operate at the nanoscale and are about 1,000 times thinner than a human hair.
• Core Architecture
  • Molecular Components: They contain movable parts connected through mechanical bonds.
  • Energy Input: They require energy, such as light or electricity, to produce movement.
  • Coordination: Random heat and unwanted molecular movements make controlled movement and coordination difficult.
• Applications:
  • Cellular Transport: The kinesin protein transports minerals inside body cells along microscopic tracks.
  • Muscle Contraction: The myosin protein helps muscles contract.
  • Disease Detection: They could help detect diseases before symptoms appear.
  • Material Development: They could help assemble tiny peptides and produce more-resilient plastics.
  • Sensors and Energy: They could support microscopic sensors and tiny energy-storage mechanisms. 
• Nobel Prize: The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2016 was awarded to Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Sir J. Fraser Stoddart and Bernard L. Feringafor the design and synthesis of molecular machines.