To be more specific, this is the F0F1 Mitochondrial ATP Synthase. This protein is the reason that I decided to study biochemistry, but I have to say that this animation doesn't nearly do it justice. For one thing, the entire rotor/stator mechanism of the F0 unit is woefully glossed over. The rotor itself is composed of a number of alpha-helices that have a single location for a motile hydrogen to attach. In doing so, it causes a rotation of the lower half of the helix, generating a mechanical motion that turns the rotor.<p>In fact, probably the most amazing aspect of this protein is that it is, in every sense of the term, a nano-machine. ATP is generated not by chemical reaction, but rather by mechanical force. The 3 active sites in the F1 unit have residues which hold the ADP and Pi in a favorable arrangement, but it is the spring action, triggered by the crankshaft, that causes a vice-like movement that literally squeezes the two together to form ATP.<p>Very cool...if you ask me.
This molecule is an amazing machine, powered by electricity. One thing I didn't realize until recently is how fast real molecules are compared to the animations. The molecular motor in the animation spins in real life at about 40,000 RPM - jet engine fast. The small molecules drifting around are actually moving at about 250 miles per hour. And instead of a few molecules drifting around, there are billions of molecules slamming into it every second.<p>I wrote a blog post a while back about how fast and crowded things are inside cells, that goes into more detail on this very protein: <a href="http://www.arcfn.com/2011/07/cells-are-very-fast-and-crowded-places.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.arcfn.com/2011/07/cells-are-very-fast-and-crowded...</a>
Fantastic! Thanks for sharing. Reminded me of this: <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/david_bolinsky_animates_a_cell.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/david_bolinsky_animates_a_c...</a>
If you think this is cool, you'd love the flagella motor complex. Especially the assembly process. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey7Emmddf7Y" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey7Emmddf7Y</a>
Direct link to the video:<p><a href="http://www.mrc-mbu.cam.ac.uk/sites/default/files/movies/rotarymech/rotarymech-iPhone.m4v" rel="nofollow">http://www.mrc-mbu.cam.ac.uk/sites/default/files/movies/rota...</a>