Biology
Metalloproteins and Their Role in Biological Electron Transfer
Quick fact
Some metalloproteins, like the iron-sulfur clusters in mitochondria, can transfer electrons at rates of up to 10^6 transfers per second, making them among the fastest catalysts known.
Why this is interesting
Every breath you take and every bite of food you eat ultimately powers a microscopic electrical grid inside your cells—where metal-containing proteins shuttle electrons like tiny wires. How do these metalloproteins make life's energy flow possible?