 Polymerization Brownian ratchet

A polymerization Brownian ratchet advances a filament by incorporating a monomer when thermal motion opens enough space between its tip and a resisting load. The irreversible chemical step rectifies the load's fluctuations. The elementary load advance $a$ depends on tip geometry; two staggered strands can give $a=\delta /2$, whereas two aligned strands do not automatically give this step. An effective addition rate must refer to the same elementary advance.