Energy conversion in mitochondria membranes: principles of operations and ideas for nanoelectronics
by IT on 14-04-2014
Lev Murokh (Queens College of the City University of New York)
Date & time: 14/04/2014 at 10:30.
Location: Seminar Room (2.8.3), Physics Department, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon.
Living objects at the nanoscale can be viewed as molecular complexes, whose dynamics is often controlled by the transfer of single charges or single-photon absorption events. In many senses, it is similar to the principles of operation of semiconductor nanostructures and elements of molecular electronics. Correspondingly, the methods of condensed matter and statistical physics can be applied.
In this talk, I address proton-pumping complexes and proton-driven nanomotor of the mitochondria membranes. These systems convert the energy obtained from the food to the proton gradient across the membrane, to the mechanical rotation of the nanomotor, and, finally, to the energy of chemical compounds. We propose simple physical models for these complexes which not only allow the quantitative description but can inspire the implementations in nanoelectronics as well.
Physics of Information Seminar
http://www.phys-info.org/physics-of-information-seminar.html
Supported with funding from FCT, POPH and EU FP7, specifically through FCT strategic project FCT PEst-OE/EEI/LA0008/2013 and the FP7 projects Landauer (GA 318287) and PAPETS (GA 323901).
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