Home▸Molecular Biology▸Bacterial Flagellar Motor: Torque-Speed & Switching

Bacterial Flagellar Motor: Torque-Speed Curve & CW/CCW Switching

Interactive 3D model of the bacterial flagellar motor: tune proton-motive force, engaged stator units and viscous load to solve the motor's real torque-speed curve, and watch CheY-P-controlled CW/CCW switching drive run-and-tumble motility.

Molecular Biology3DAdvanced60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 2D version

The flagellar motor is one of biology's few genuine rotary machines: a ring of stator units (MotA/MotB) uses the transmembrane proton-motive force to push the rotor's C-ring around, spinning a helical filament at hundreds of hertz. This simulator solves the motor's real "knee-shaped" torque-speed curve against a viscous load line to find the steady-state rotation speed for any combination of proton-motive force, number of engaged stators, and load, and models the CheY-P-controlled switch between counter-clockwise "run" rotation and clockwise "tumble" rotation that underlies bacterial chemotaxis.

⚙ Under the hood

Solve the bacterial flagellar motor's real torque-speed curve against a viscous load line, tuning proton-motive force and engaged stators, and watch CheY-P-controlled CW/CCW switching drive run-and-tumble motility.

biophysicsmolecular-motorbacteriaflagellumchemotaxismicrobiology

3D · Three.js / WebGL renderer · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install