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Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Visualization of ATP Synthase Dimers in Mitochondria by Electron Cryo-tomography
Published on: September 14, 2014
Effects of mutations in the beta subunit hinge domain on ATP synthase F1 sector rotation: interaction between Ser 174
Sachiko Kashiwagi1, Atsuko Iwamoto-Kihara, Masaki Kojima
1Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Iwate Medical University, Iwate 028-3694, Japan.
Abstract:
A complex of gamma, epsilon, and c subunits rotates in ATP synthase (F(o)F(1)) coupling with proton transport. Replacement of betaSer174 by Phe in beta-sheet4 of the beta subunit (betaS174F) caused slow gamma subunit revolution of the F(1) sector, consistent with the decreased ATPase activity [M. Nakanishi-Matsui, S. Kashiwagi, T. Ubukata, A. Iwamoto-Kihara, Y. Wada, M. Futai, Rotational catalysis of Escherichia coli ATP synthase F1 sector. Stochastic fluctuation and a key domain of the beta subunit, J. Biol. Chem. 282 (2007) 20698-20704]. Modeling of the domain including beta-sheet4 and alpha-helixB predicted that the mutant betaPhe174 residue undergoes strong and weak hydrophobic interactions with betaIle163 and betaIle166, respectively. Supporting this prediction, the replacement of betaIle163 in alpha-helixB by Ala partially suppressed the betaS174F mutation: in the double mutant, the revolution speed and ATPase activity recovered to about half of the levels in the wild-type. Replacement of betaIle166 by Ala lowered the revolution speed and ATPase activity to the same levels as in betaS174F. Consistent with the weak hydrophobic interaction, betaIle166 to Ala mutation did not suppress betaS174F. Importance of the hinge domain [phosphate-binding loop (P-loop)/alpha-helixB/loop/beta-sheet4, betaPhe148-betaGly186] as to driving rotational catalysis is discussed.
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