

Molecular animations of ATP synthase - foreverbanned
http://www.mrc-mbu.cam.ac.uk/node/448
Molecular animations of ATP synthase
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jballanc
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.

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.

Very cool...if you ask me.

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pygy_
The video is part of a series.

<http://www.mrc-mbu.cam.ac.uk/category/slideshows/atpmovies>

The second one illustrates your description.

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kens
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.

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:
[http://www.arcfn.com/2011/07/cells-are-very-fast-and-
crowded...](http://www.arcfn.com/2011/07/cells-are-very-fast-and-crowded-
places.html)

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robbiep
Hi kens, This is actually not powered by electricity but by the gradient of
hydrogen ions between the inside and outside of the mitochondrial matrix... As
jballanc says, and you say, this is awesomely cool though. I use this video
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOSyGTYCRFw> to teach my future medical
students the function of the ATPase - jballanc, I agree the mechanical aspect
of ATP synthesis is awesome.

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jpegleg
Fantastic! Thanks for sharing. Reminded me of this:
[http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/david_bolinsky_animates_a_c...](http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/david_bolinsky_animates_a_cell.html)

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craigyk
If you think this is cool, you'd love the flagella motor complex. Especially
the assembly process. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey7Emmddf7Y>

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gnosis
Direct link to the video:

[http://www.mrc-
mbu.cam.ac.uk/sites/default/files/movies/rota...](http://www.mrc-
mbu.cam.ac.uk/sites/default/files/movies/rotarymech/rotarymech-iPhone.m4v)

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halo
Beware: needs QuickTime.

