Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Motor Units01:13

Motor Units

6.8K
The motor unit is a fundamental component of the neuromuscular system and plays a crucial role in coordinating muscle contractions. It consists of a somatic motor neuron, which connects and controls multiple skeletal muscle fibers, forming a single functional segment. The axon of the motor neuron branches out and establishes synaptic connections known as neuromuscular junctions with individual muscle fibers within the motor unit.
Motor units come in different sizes, with smaller units...
6.8K
Motor Units00:46

Motor Units

61.3K
A motor unit consists of two main components: a single efferent motor neuron (i.e., a neuron that carries impulses away from the central nervous system) and all of the muscle fibers it innervates. The motor neuron may innervate multiple muscle fibers, which are single cells, but only one motor neuron innervates a single muscle fiber.
61.3K
Motor Unit Stimulation01:20

Motor Unit Stimulation

3.2K
When the neuron of a motor unit fires an action potential, it triggers a series of events, leading to a twitch contraction in the muscle fibers. The process of excitation-contraction coupling is crucial in relaying the action potential to the muscle fibers.
The latent period of contraction marks the onset of excitation-contraction coupling, when the action potential propagates across the sarcolemma, preparing the muscle fibers for contraction. As the fibers enter the contraction phase, the...
3.2K
Microtubule Associated Motor Proteins01:32

Microtubule Associated Motor Proteins

9.4K
Eukaryotic cells have different motor proteins for transporting various cargo within the cell. These motor proteins differ based on the filament they associate with, the direction they move within the cell, and the type of cargo they transport. Motor proteins that associate with microtubules are known as microtubule-associated motor proteins. There are two families of microtubule-associated motor proteins —Kinesins and Dyneins. Both these proteins assist in the transport of cellular...
9.4K
Electro-mechanical Systems01:19

Electro-mechanical Systems

1.4K
Electromechanical systems are intricate configurations that effectively combine electrical and mechanical elements to achieve a desired outcome. Central to many of these systems is the DC motor, a device that converts electrical energy into mechanical motion, enabling various applications ranging from simple fans to complex robotic mechanisms.
A key component of the DC motor is the armature, a rotating circuit positioned within a magnetic field. As an electric current passes through the...
1.4K
Hierarchy of Motor Control01:18

Hierarchy of Motor Control

5.4K
The hierarchy of motor control refers to the different levels of organization and processing involved in controlling movement in the body. These levels range from higher cortical areas involved in planning and decision-making to lower spinal cord reflexes that respond automatically to external stimuli.
5.4K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Structural and functional insights into the Rcs phosphorelay.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

A robust workflow for 3D imaging of human mitochondria using cryo-electron tomography.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Advances in understanding Ton and Tol system motor proteins.

Biochemical Society transactions·2026
Same author

The dynamic lateral gate of the mitochondrial β-barrel biogenesis machinery is blocked by darobactin A.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

Structural insights into Cir-mediated killing by the antimicrobial protein Microcin V.

Communications biology·2025
Same author

Cryo-EM structures of the E. coli Ton and Tol motor complexes.

Nature communications·2025
Same journal

Tomogram exploration through template matching and deep learning.

Current opinion in structural biology·2026
Same journal

A comparative review of cryo-electron ptychography: Biological applications and future perspectives.

Current opinion in structural biology·2026
Same journal

Metabolic disruptions through a three-dimensional genomic lens.

Current opinion in structural biology·2026
Same journal

Collective variable design for biomolecular conformational dynamics.

Current opinion in structural biology·2026
Same journal

Polymer scaling in protein crowding: From dilute coils to semidilute meshes.

Current opinion in structural biology·2026
Same journal

Tuning the physicochemical properties of rationally designed protein-based biomolecular condensates.

Current opinion in structural biology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 1, 2025

Generation of Human Motor Units with Functional Neuromuscular Junctions in Microfluidic Devices
10:48

Generation of Human Motor Units with Functional Neuromuscular Junctions in Microfluidic Devices

Published on: September 7, 2021

5.1K

Ton motor complexes.

Anna C Ratliff1, Susan K Buchanan1, Herve Celia1

  • 1Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.

Current Opinion in Structural Biology
|November 6, 2020
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The Ton complex, a bacterial molecular motor, uses proton gradients to transport nutrients. Recent findings clarify the ExbB-ExbD subcomplex structure, resolving long-standing debates in bacterial transport mechanisms.

More Related Videos

A Method for Evaluating Timeliness and Accuracy of Volitional Motor Responses to Vibrotactile Stimuli
07:28

A Method for Evaluating Timeliness and Accuracy of Volitional Motor Responses to Vibrotactile Stimuli

Published on: August 2, 2016

7.5K
Functional Isolation of Single Motor Units of Rat Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle
06:54

Functional Isolation of Single Motor Units of Rat Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle

Published on: December 26, 2020

5.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 1, 2025

Generation of Human Motor Units with Functional Neuromuscular Junctions in Microfluidic Devices
10:48

Generation of Human Motor Units with Functional Neuromuscular Junctions in Microfluidic Devices

Published on: September 7, 2021

5.1K
A Method for Evaluating Timeliness and Accuracy of Volitional Motor Responses to Vibrotactile Stimuli
07:28

A Method for Evaluating Timeliness and Accuracy of Volitional Motor Responses to Vibrotactile Stimuli

Published on: August 2, 2016

7.5K
Functional Isolation of Single Motor Units of Rat Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle
06:54

Functional Isolation of Single Motor Units of Rat Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle

Published on: December 26, 2020

5.7K

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • The Ton complex is a crucial molecular motor in Gram-negative bacteria.
  • It utilizes the proton motive force across the inner membrane to power nutrient transport.
  • Decades of research have yielded conflicting data on its structure and stoichiometry.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent discoveries regarding the structure and mechanisms of the Ton system.
  • To discuss the proposed stoichiometry of the ExbB-ExbD subcomplex.
  • To compare the Ton system with similar protein motor complexes in bacteria.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent structural and mechanistic studies.
  • Analysis of data supporting the 5:2 stoichiometry of the ExbB-ExbD subcomplex.
  • Comparative analysis of bacterial protein motor complexes.

Main Results:

  • Recent evidence strongly supports a 5:2 subunit stoichiometry for the ExbB-ExbD subcomplex.
  • New structural insights into the Ton complex have emerged.
  • Proposed mechanisms for Ton system function are being refined.

Conclusions:

  • The Ton complex structure and function are becoming clearer, particularly the ExbB-ExbD subcomplex.
  • Understanding these motors is key to deciphering nutrient transport in Gram-negative bacteria.
  • Further research on similar bacterial motor complexes will provide broader insights.