ATP synthase F(1) sector rotation. Defective torque generation in the beta subunit Ser-174 to Phe mutant and its suppression by second mutations.

Subunit gamma of the ATP synthase F(1) sector is located at the center of the alpha(3)beta(3) hexamer and rotates unidirectionally during ATP hydrolysis, generating the rotational torque of approximately 45 pN.nm. A mutant F(1) with the betaSer-174 to Phe substitution (betaS174F) in the beta subunit generated lower torque ( approximately 17 pN.nm), indicating that betaS174F is mechanically defective, the first such mutant reported. The defective rotation of betaS174F was suppressed by a second-site mutation, betaGly-149 to Ala, betaIle-163 to Ala, or betaIle-166 to Ala in the same subunit, but not by betaLeu-238 to Ala. These results suggest that the region between betaGly-149 and betaSer-174 plays an important role in the coupling between ATP hydrolysis and mechanical work.

Rotation of a complex of the gamma subunit and c ring of Escherichia coli ATP synthase. The rotor and stator are interchangeable.

ATP synthase (F0F1) transforms an electrochemical proton gradient into chemical energy (ATP) through the rotation of a subunit assembly. It has been suggested that a complex of the gamma subunit and c ring (c(10-14)) of F0F1 could rotate together during ATP hydrolysis and synthesis (Sambongi, Y., Iko, Y., Tanabe, M., Omote, H., Iwamoto-Kihara, A., Ueda, I., Yanagida, T., Wada, Y., and Futai, M. (1999) Science 286, 1722-1724). We observed that the rotation of the c ring with the cI28T mutation (c subunit cIle-28 replaced by Thr) was less sensitive to venturicidin than that of the wild type, consistent with the antibiotic effect on the cI28T mutant and wild-type ATPase activities (Fillingame, R. H., Oldenburg, M., and Fraga, D. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 20934-20939). Furthermore, we engineered F0F1 to see the alpha(3)beta(3) hexamer rotation; a biotin tag was introduced into the alpha or beta subunit, and a His tag was introduced into the c subunit. The engineered enzymes could be purified by metal affinity chromatography and density gradient centrifugation. They were immobilized on a glass surface through the c subunit, and an actin filament was connected to the alpha or beta subunit. The filament rotated upon the addition of ATP and generated essentially the same frictional torque as one connected to the c ring. These results indicate that the gammaepsilonc(10-14) complex is a mechanical unit of the enzyme and that it can be used as a rotor or a stator experimentally, depending on the subunit immobilized.

Mechanical rotation of the c subunit oligomer in ATP synthase (F0F1): direct observation.

F0F1, found in mitochondria or bacterial membranes, synthesizes adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) coupling with an electrochemical proton gradient and also reversibly hydrolyzes ATP to form the gradient. An actin filament connected to a c subunit oligomer of F0 was able to rotate by using the energy of ATP hydrolysis. The rotary torque produced by the c subunit oligomer reached about 40 piconewton-nanometers, which is similar to that generated by the gamma subunit in the F1 motor. These results suggest that the gamma and c subunits rotate together during ATP hydrolysis and synthesis. Thus, coupled rotation may be essential for energy coupling between proton transport through F0 and ATP hydrolysis or synthesis in F1.

The gamma-subunit rotation and torque generation in F1-ATPase from wild-type or uncoupled mutant Escherichia coli.

The rotation of the gamma-subunit has been included in the binding-change mechanism of ATP synthesis/hydrolysis by the proton ATP synthase (FOF1). The Escherichia coli ATP synthase was engineered for rotation studies such that its ATP hydrolysis and synthesis activity is similar to that of wild type. A fluorescently labeled actin filament connected to the gamma-subunit of the F1 sector rotated on addition of ATP. This progress enabled us to analyze the gammaM23K (the gamma-subunit Met-23 replaced by Lys) mutant, which is defective in energy coupling between catalysis and proton translocation. We found that the F1 sector produced essentially the same frictional torque, regardless of the mutation. These results suggest that the gammaM23K mutant is defective in the transformation of the mechanical work into proton translocation or vice versa.

Stability of the Escherichia coli ATP synthase F0F1 complex is dependent on interactions between gamma Gln-269 and the beta subunit loop beta Asp-301-beta Asp-305.

The role of the conserved sequence motif 301DDLTDP306 in the F0F1 ATP synthase beta subunit was assessed by mutagenic analysis in the Escherichia coli enzyme. Mutations gave variable effects on F1 sector activity, stability, and membrane binding to the F0 sector. Upon solubilization, F1 sectors of the betaD302E and betaD305E mutants (betaAsp-302 and betaAsp-305 replaced by glutamate) dissociated into subunits, while mutants with other beta305 substitutions failed to assemble. Membrane ATPase activities of beta301 and 302 mutants were 20-70% of wild type. Replacements of the gamma subunit Gln-269 had similar effects. The membrane ATPase activities of the gammaQ269E or gammaQ269D mutants were significantly lower and their F1 sectors dissociated into subunits upon solubilization. These results suggest that the beta301-305 loop and the gamma subunit region around Gln-269 form a key region for the assembly of alpha3 beta3 gamma complex. These results are consistent with the X-ray crystallographic structure of bovine F1 (J. P. Abrahams, A. G. W. Leslie, R. Lutter, and J. E. Walker (1994) Nature 370, 621-628) where the beta301DDLTD305 loop directly interacts with gammaGln-269.

Molecular imaging of Escherichia coli F0F1-ATPase in reconstituted membranes using atomic force microscopy.

The structure of Escherichia coli F0F1-ATPase (ATP synthase), and its F0 sector reconstituted in lipid membranes was analyzed using atomic force microscopy (AFM) by tapping-mode operation. The majority of F0F1-ATPases were visualized as spheres with a calculated diameter of approximately 90 angstroms, and a height of approximately 100 angstroms from the membrane surface. F0 sectors were visualized as two different ring-like structures (one with a central mass and the other with a central hollow of greater than or equal to 18 angstroms depth) with a calculated outer diameter of approximately 130 angstroms. The two different images possibly represent the opposite orientations of the complex in the membranes. The ring-like projections of both images suggest inherently asymmetric assemblies of the subunits in the F0 sector. Considering the stoichiometry of F0 subunits, the area of the image observed is large enough to accommodate all three F0 subunits in an asymmetric manner.

Beta-gamma subunit interaction is required for catalysis by H(+)-ATPase (ATP synthase). Beta subunit amino acid replacements suppress a gamma subunit mutation having a long unrelated carboxyl terminus.

The mechanisms of energy coupling and catalytic co-operativity are not yet understood for H(+)-ATPase (ATP synthase). An Escherichia coli gamma subunit frameshift mutant (downstream of Thr-gamma 277) could not grow by oxidative phosphorylation because both mechanisms were defective (Iwamoto, A., Miki, J., Maeda, M., and Futai, M. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 5043-5048). The defect(s) of the gamma frameshift was obvious, because the mutant subunit had a carboxyl terminus comprising 16 residues different from those in the wild type. However, in this study, we surprisingly found that an Arg-beta 52-->Cys or Gly-beta 150-->Asp replacement could suppress the deleterious effects of the gamma frameshift. The membranes of the two mutants (gamma frameshift/Cys-beta 52 with or without a third mutation, Val-beta 77-->Ala) exhibited increased oxidative phosphorylation, together with 70-100% of the wild type ATPase activity. Similarly, the gamma frameshift/Asp-beta 150 mutant could grow by oxidative phosphorylation, although this mutant had low membrane ATPase activity. These results suggest that the beta subunit mutation suppressed the defects of catalytic cooperativity and/or energy coupling in the gamma mutant, consistent with the notion that conformational transmission between the two subunits is pertinent for this enzyme.