New imaging techniques reveal the workings of supramolecular nanomachines
Supramolecules comprising many kinds of proteins and nucleic acids are present in all living organisms. Often with precise structures and a variety of parts, these supramolecules exhibit complex movements and exhaustive functions, essentially behaving like nanomachines. How do these tiny supramolecular nanomachines work in the bodies of living organisms? I want to know the mechanism behind their actions, says Koji Yonekura, associate chief scientist of the Biostructural Mechanism Laboratory in the Photon Science Research Division of the RIKEN SPring-8 Center. Because function is closely related to form, the action mechanism cannot be understood without clarifying the conformations of the components of supramolecules. Yonekura is working to develop new techniques such as cryo-electron microscopy to elucidate the action mechanism behind these supramolecular nanomachines.The wonder of the flagellum