Understanding the inner workings of biological machines

Many biological macromolecules assemble into complexes to perform their physiological functions. These molecular machines range in complexity from relatively simple molecules to large macromolecular assemblies, and they are designed to perform specific tasks within the cell. This thematic session will cover exciting new advances in our understanding of the structure, function and engineering of molecular machines. The session will encompass the wide range of molecular assemblies that accomplish diverse and often essential tasks within a cell, including molecular motors responsible for protein processing and vesicle trafficking as well as supramolecular complexes mediating energy transduction, transport and protein synthesis.

Presentations in this track will cover a wide range of experimental and technical approaches, such as advances in structural biology (cryo-electron microscopy, X-ray crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy), single molecule biophysics and super-resolution imaging. It also will cover novel conceptual advances, including new insights into the design of natural and synthetic molecular machines and how energy is transduced to power biological nanomachines at the molecular level.

Keywords: molecular motors, protein complexes, transporters, force generation and transduction, supramolecular assemblies.

Who should attend: those fascinated by structure–function relationships in biological systems, how macromolecules undergo modular assembly and what kinds of energetic input power the work of molecular machines.

Theme song: “Ghosts in My Machine” by Annie Lennox.

This track is powered by ATP and ion gradients.