Post 32: The largest structure in the Protein Data Bank 🤯

AFAIK, the largest known protein complex in the Protein DataBank was a flagellar motor, composed of around 175 assembled proteins. However, a photosynthetic complex from an alga has just been published, consisting of as few as 894 assembled proteins 🤯 … I can only imagine the suffering of the PhDs and postdocs who created that monster.

Refs:

1. In situ structure of the red algal phycobilisome–PSII–PSI–LHC megacomplex
2. PDB
3. PDB2

Ps. Follow this 2 amaizing protein artist on Twitter 🙂

Upon further investigation, I realized that the flagellum was not actually the largest complex, as there even exists a prestigious club of protein complexes with >1M atoms in the PDB.

• PDBs: 3J3Q, 3J3Y, 5Y6P, 6KGX, 6Q3G, 6QVK, 6QYD, 6QZ0, 6U42, 7RRO, 7SQC, 7UNG, 7Y4L, 7Y5E
• Link

I love you photosystem of Porphyridium purpureum Video por @gpintilie