Molecular Motor (Kinesin)

Nanotechnology

How It Works

Kinesin is a biological molecular nanomotor that converts chemical energy from adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis into mechanical movement along cytoskeletal microtubules. Hand-over-hand dimeric head stepping produces processive 8-nanometer discrete displacements, generating up to 6 piconewtons of stall force to transport vesicles and organelles across cellular distances.

Governing Equation
v = (d_{step} · k_{cat} · [ATP]) / (K_m + [ATP]) , F_{stall} ≈ 6 pN