Credit: MIT/University of Michigan
The gymnast in action: This computer-generated image shows how Vitamin B12, a small molecule shown in dark green and dark blue, interacts with much larger molecules during the reaction known as methyltransfer that is vital to humans, some animals and certain bacteria. The ribbon-like structures represent the large complex molecules that position B12 in different ways during the reaction. It’s the first time scientists have been able to see this reaction in progress.