Energy and information flows in autonomous systems

Multi-component molecular machines are ubiquitous in biology. We review recent progress on describing their thermodynamic properties using autonomous bipartite Markovian dynamics. The first and second laws can be split into separate versions applicable to each subsystem of a two-component system, illustrating that one not only resolve energy flows between the subsystems but also information quantifying how subsystem’s dynamics influence joint system’s entropy balance. Applying framework molecular-scale sensors allows derive tighter bounds requirement. Two-component strongly coupled studied from unifying perspective what extent they operate conventionally by transducing power or like an engine generating flow rectify thermal fluctuations output power.