title: Our research on proton pumping ATPases over three decades: their biochemistry, molecular biology and cell biology.
abstract: ATP is synthesized by F-type proton-translocating ATPases (F-ATPases) coupled with an electrochemical proton gradient established by an electron transfer chain. This mechanism is ubiquitously found in mitochondria, chloroplasts and bacteria. Vacuolar-type ATPases (V-ATPases) are found in endomembrane organelles, including lysosomes, endosomes, synaptic vesicles, etc., of animal and plant cells. These two physiologically different proton pumps exhibit similarities in subunit assembly, catalysis and the coupling mechanism from chemistry to proton transport through subunit rotation. We mostly discuss our own studies on the two proton pumps over the last three decades, including ones on purification, kinetic analysis, rotational catalysis and the diverse roles of acidic luminal organelles. The diversity of organellar proton pumps and their stochastic fluctuation are the important concepts derived recently from our studies.
authors: Futai Special Laboratory, Microbial Chemistry Research Center, Microbial Chemistry Research Foundation, and Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Masamitsu
authors: M
authors: Futai
keywords: ATP; F-type ATPase; V-type ATPase; acidic lumen; endomembrane organelle; rotational catalysis