A huge, complex structure appeared on the big screen. Rings and elongated shafts were nested layer upon layer, locking together like gears. It was intricate and magnificent!
It was hard to imagine that this was something inside a bacterium. It looked more like some kind of meticulously designed machine. Especially after being enlarged on the screen, it could easily be mistaken for the engine of a space battleship!
"There's also an animation. It'll be more intuitive to watch. Let me find it for everyone!" Song He said.
He quickly clicked around on the computer and soon found a demonstration video.
The Flagellar Motor in the video began spinning at high speed, accompanied by the clacking of metal transmission. The students once again erupted in amazement. This thing really did look like some kind of artificial machine. It was hard to imagine that all the bacteria covering the ground had similar structures.
"It looks amazing, but it's even more amazing in reality!" Song He was pleased by the students' astonishment and began explaining.
"The base is called the Inner Membrane Ring. The Proton Pump and Cytoplasmic Region Ring transmit torque to it, and it then passes the torque to the Connecting Rod."
"The Connecting Rod is made up of forty-six subunits. It has a helical rod structure, and the mutual locking of its subunits ensures high-speed rotation and torque transmission."
"There are also six small helical structures and five ring structures here. They overcome the structural asymmetry, allowing torque transmission to switch from the horizontal direction to the vertical direction."
"The Outer Membrane Ring and Periplasmic Ring interlock to form a complex barrel-shaped structure. At the same time, electrostatic repulsion and hydrogen-bond rings allow it to rotate at high speed without friction, with almost no energy loss."
The students once again