zlacker

>>qqqqqu+(OP)
I would like to understand how cellular biology processes actually work. Like, how do all the right modules and proteins line up in the right orientation every time? Every time I watch animations, it seems like the proteins and such just magically appear when needed and disappear when not needed [0]. Sometimes it's an ultra-complex looking protein and it just magically flys over to the DNA, attaches to the correct spot, does it's thing, detaches, and flies away. Yeah right! As if the protein is being flown by a pilot. How does it really work?

[0] https://youtu.be/5VefaI0LrgE

>>umvi+go
Any time something "magically lines up", it means that those molecules randomly float around until the right ones bump into each other.

Once they are in close enough proximity to bump into each other, intermolecular forces can come into play to get the "docking process" done.

For something like transcription, once they are "docked", think of it like a molecular machine - the process by which the polymerase moves down the strands is non-random.

There are also several ways to move things around in a more coordinated fashion. Often you have gradients of ion concentration, and molecules that want to move a certain direction within that gradient. You also have microtubules and molecular machinery that moves along them to ferry things to where they need to be. You can also just ensure a high concentration of some molecule in a specific place by building it there.