Molecular machines, nonequilibrium

Summing up, we can conclude that ATPsynthases may be considered as enthalpic molecular machines which operate in essentially nonequilibrium states formed after the ionization of several acid groups of the enzyme. Closed membranes are necessary to provide a cyclic functioning of ATFsynthases under steady state conditions. We hope that this approach would appear to be fruitful for the explanation of other experimental data concerning energy transduction in the living cell. 

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