A proton Ferris wheel in action (IMAGE)

DOE/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

A proton Ferris wheel in action

Caption

This animation, based on simulations and cryo-EM images, shows a top-down view of the V-ATPase proton pump Ferris wheel as it rotates clockwise. As each Ferris wheel seat arrives at the drop-off point - at the top of the rotation here - its proton passenger hops off and is guided by water molecules to its destination in the organelle's interior (green ribbons). A study by researchers from SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, SUNY Upstate Medical University and Arizona State University revealed key details of this drop-off.

Credit

S.-H.Roh et al., Science Advances, 7 October 2020

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