title: Catalytic mechanism of F1-ATPase.
abstract: The structure of the core catalytic unit of ATP synthase, alpha 3 beta 3 gamma, has been determined by X-ray crystallography, revealing a roughly symmetrical arrangement of alternating alpha and beta subunits around a central cavity in which helical portions of gamma are found. A low-resolution structural model of F0, based on electron spectroscopic imaging, locates subunit a and the two copies of subunit b outside of a subunit c oligomer. The structures of individual subunits epsilon and c (largely) have been solved by NMR spectroscopy, but the oligomeric structure of c is still unknown. The structures of subunits a and delta remain undefined, that of b has not yet been defined but biochemical evidence indicates a credible model. Subunits gamma, epsilon, b, and delta are at the interface between F1 and F0; gamma epsilon complex forms one element of the stalk, interacting with c at the base and alpha and beta at the top. The locations of b and delta are less clear. Elucidation of the structure F0, of the stalk, and of the entire F1F0 remains a challenging goal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Rochester Medical Center, NY 14642, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Senior
mesh_terms: D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D001665:Binding Sites; D001693:Biological Transport, Active; D002384:Catalysis; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000201:enzymology; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010085:Oxidative Phosphorylation; D006180:Proton-Translocating ATPases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D006180:Proton-Translocating ATPases