Resource letter PBM-1: physics of biomolecular machines

Abstract

All living creatures are made of cells. The cell is the structural and functional unit of life. This Resource Letter serves as a guide to the literature on nano-machines, which drive not only intracellular movements but also motility of the cell. These machines are usually proteins or macromolecular assemblies that require appropriate fuel for their operations. Although, traditionally, these machines were subjects of investigation in biology and biochemistry, increasing use of the concepts and techniques of physics in recent years have contributed to the quantitative understanding of the fundamental principles underlying their operational mechanisms. The possibility of exploiting these principles for the design and control of artificial nanomachines has opened up a new frontier in the bottom-up approach to nanotechnology.