Clockwork

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Exploring the incredible world of biochemistry. www.watchclockwork.com

Molecular representation of a single caffeine molecule
The interactions between circadian clock proteins in the cyanobacteria Synechococcus Elongatus. These proteins produce a near-perfect 24-hour cycle that allows a photosynthetic bacteria to anticipate and prepare for dusk. The main clock protein, KaiC (green) is activated at dawn by the protein KaiA (blue). This kicks off a few hours of phosphorylation inside KaiC (not pictured). Eventually, KaiA is booted off the complex and KaiB (yellow) binds to the opposite terminal. KaiB inhibits phosphorylation in KaiC--so KaiC will spend the next half of the cycle removing the phosphates it added. KaiB also sequesters KaiA, preventing it from restarting the cycle. Eventually, KaiC returns to its start state and boots KaiB from the complex, resetting the cycle.
Atomic Model of the full outer membrane of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, featuring an internal phospholipid bilayer, a peptidoglycan mesh, arabinogalactan and an outer layer of thick, waxy mycolic acids.
RNA Polymerase II (purple) is activated by general transcription factors ahead of DNA transcription into pre mRNA. RNA POL II is the core of the massive Pre Initiation Complex. Meanwhile, the Mediator (green) is also stabilizing the full PIC ahead of activation. This loop shows a simulation of DNA being 'opened' by the PIC and spooled into RNA POL II's active site. After this moment, transcription will kick off. But the video instead reverses back into the 'closed' state of RNA Pol II so the animation can loop.