Two-state flashing molecular pump

• Published in: Europhysics letters Vol. 86; no. 4; pp. 40002 - p1-40002-p6
• Main Authors: Gomez-Marin, A, Sancho, J. M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: IOP Publishing 01.05.2009; EDP Sciences
• Subjects: 05.10.Gg; 05.40.-a; 87.16.A
• ISSN: 0295-5075; 1286-4854
• DOI: 10.1209/0295-5075/86/40002

Here we study a pumping device capable of maintaining a density gradient and a flux of particles across a membrane. Its driving mechanism is based on the flashing ratchet effect powered by the random telegraph process in the presence of thermal fluctuations. Unlike Brownian motors, the concentrations at both reservoir boundaries need to be implemented as boundary conditions. The residence transition rates of the dichotomic flashing are related to the binding and hydrolysis of ATP molecules. The model is exactly solved and explored. The pump energetics is discussed and the relevant parameter values are tuned within a biological scale.