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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/175889
Direct detection of molecular intermediates from first-passage times
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All natural phenomena are governed by energy landscapes. However, the direct measurement of this fundamen-tal quantity remains challenging, particularly in complex systems involving intermediate states. Here, we uncover key details of the energy landscapes that underpin a range of experimental systems through quantitative analysis of first-passage time distributions. By combined study of colloidal dynamics in confinement, transport through a biological pore, and the folding kinetics of DNA hairpins, we demonstrate conclusively how a short-time, power-law regime of the first-passage time distribution reflects the number of intermediate states associated with each of these processes, despite their differing length scales, time scales, and interactions. We thereby establish a powerful method for investigating the underlying mechanisms of complex molecular processes.
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THORNEYWORK, Alice L., et al. Direct detection of molecular intermediates from first-passage times. Science Advances. 2020. Vol. 6, num. 18, pags. eaaz4642. ISSN 2375-2548. [consulted: 8 of October of 2026]. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/175889