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Torque-speed relationship of the bacterial flagellar motor.

ABSTRACT: 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.

SUBMITTER: Xing J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1360542 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Torque-speed relationship of the bacterial flagellar motor.

Xing Jianhua J Bai Fan F Berry Richard R Oster George G

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20060123 5

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 ...[more]

PMID: 16432218

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