Open AccessA Delicate Nanoscale Motor Made by Nature—The Bacterial Flagellar Motor
Author(s) -
Xue Ruidong,
Ma Qi,
Baker Matthew A. B.,
Bai Fan
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
advanced science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.388
H-Index - 100
ISSN - 2198-3844
DOI - 10.1002/advs.201500129
Subject(s) - molecular motor , motor protein , propeller , nanotechnology , nanoscopic scale , flagellum , molecular machine , bacteria , biophysics , physics , biology , materials science , microbiology and biotechnology , paleontology , microtubule , geology , oceanography
The bacterial flagellar motor (BFM) is a molecular complex ca. 45 nm in diameter that rotates the propeller that makes nearly all bacteria swim. The motor self‐assembles out of ca. 20 different proteins and can not only rotate at up to 50 000 rpm, but can also switch rotational direction in milliseconds and navigate its environment to maneuver, on average, towards regions of greater benefit. The BFM is a pinnacle of evolution that informs and inspires the design of novel nanotechnology in the new era of synthetic biology.