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Nature Chemistry (1 August 2008) | doi:10.1038/nchem.45

Molecular motors: Five go faster

Jane Morris

Molecular motors are common in nature — for example the proteins kinesin and myosin, which perform transport functions in cells — and are very efficient at converting chemical to kinetic energy. Light-driven molecular motors have proved to be the most effective of the artificial systems, with potential applications as functional components in nanoscale devices.