Nature Communications (Aug 2019)

Kinetic asymmetry allows macromolecular catalysts to drive an information ratchet

  • R. Dean Astumian

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-11402-7
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 1
pp. 1 – 14

Abstract

Read online

The mechanism by which macromolecular catalysts use energy from exergonic reactions to move, adapt, and assemble has been unclear. In this Perspective article, R. Dean Astumian shows that in addition to disequilibrium of the catalyzed reaction, kinetic asymmetry is the essential feature required to drive non-equilibrium response by an information ratchet mechanism.