title: Nucleotide binding states of subunit A of the A-ATP synthase and the implication of P-loop switch in evolution.
abstract: The crystal structures of the nucleotide-empty (A(E)), 5'-adenylyl-beta,gamma-imidodiphosphate (A(PNP))-bound, and ADP (A(DP))-bound forms of the catalytic A subunit of the energy producer A(1)A(O) ATP synthase from Pyrococcus horikoshii OT3 have been solved at 2.47 A and 2.4 A resolutions. The structures provide novel features of nucleotide binding and depict the residues involved in the catalysis of the A subunit. In the A(E) form, the phosphate analog SO(4)(2-) binds, via a water molecule, to the phosphate binding loop (P-loop) residue Ser238, which is also involved in the phosphate binding of ADP and 5'-adenylyl-beta,gamma-imidodiphosphate. Together with amino acids Gly234 and Phe236, the serine residue stabilizes the arched P-loop conformation of subunit A, as shown by the 2.4-A structure of the mutant protein S238A in which the P-loop flips into a relaxed state, comparable to the one in catalytic beta subunits of F(1)F(O) ATP synthases. Superposition of the existing P-loop structures of ATPases emphasizes the unique P-loop in subunit A, which is also discussed in the light of an evolutionary P-loop switch in related A(1)A(O) ATP synthases, F(1)F(O) ATP synthases, and vacuolar ATPases and implicates diverse catalytic mechanisms inside these biological motors.
authors: School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Republic of Singapore.
authors: Anil
authors: A
authors: Kumar
authors: Malathy Sony Subramanian
authors: MS
authors: Manimekalai
authors: Asha Manikkoth
authors: AM
authors: Balakrishna
authors: Jeyaraman
authors: J
authors: Jeyakanthan
authors: Gerhard
authors: G
authors: Grüber
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D020134:Catalytic Domain; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D008958:Models, Molecular; D050505:Mutant Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009711:Nucleotides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006180:Proton-Translocating ATPases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D043902:Pyrococcus horikoshii / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D050505:Mutant Proteins; D009711:Nucleotides; D021122:Protein Subunits; D006180:Proton-Translocating ATPases