Chloroplast membranes and coupling factor conformations

The demonstrated role of proton translocation and resulting electrochemical activity gradients (protonmotive force) in ATP synthesis by chloroplasts is noted. Evidence for the participation of conformational changes in the terminal ATPase (coupling factor, or CF1) is reviewed. Hydrogen exchange into ordinarily cyptic groups of the molecule occurs only when the subtending membranes are put under the stress of a protonmotive force. Since up to 100 hydrogen atoms per mole are involved in the energy-dependent exchange the conformational change permitting tham access to the medium must be a major one. Chemical reagents are beginning to be used to attack groups on CF1 that are exposed only when the membranes are energized. N-ethylmaleimide binds covalently, sulfate causes as yet unspecified damage, and permanganate leads to oxidative damage to CF1 under energized conditions. The last two reagents are analogues of phosphate, and ADP must be added for them to inhibit. On the basis of this and other differences between the conditions needed for inhibition by permanganate or sulfate, and that by N-ethylmaleimide or the hydrogen exchange, a somewhat complex scheme involving several successive or alternative conformations of CF1 can be postulated. Questions are raised as to the way in which a conformational change in a bound protein could be caused by a proton activity gradient across its supporting membrane, and as to whether the altered conformations might constitute a part of the energy transformations leading to ATP synthesis.