Protons, the thylakoid membrane, and the chloroplast ATP synthase

According to the chemiosmotic theory, proton pumps and ATP synthases are coupled by lateral proton flow through aqueous phases. Three long-standing challenges to this concept, all of which have been loosely subsumed under 'localized coupling' in the literature, were examined in the light of experiments carried out with thylakoids: (1) Nearest neighbor interaction between pumps and ATP synthases. Considering the large distances between photosystem II and CFoCF1, in stacked thylakoids this is a priori absent. (2) Enhanced proton diffusion along the surface of the membrane. This could not be substantiated for the outer side of the thylakoid membrane. Even for the interface between pure lipid and water, two laboratories have reported the absence of enhanced diffusion. (3) Localized proton ducts in the membrane. Intramembrane domains that can transiently trap protons do exist in thylakoid membranes, but because of their limited storage capacity for protons, they probably do not matter for photophosphorylation under continuous light. Seemingly in favor of localized proton ducts is the failure of a supposedly permeant buffer to enhance the onset lag of photophosphorylation. However, it was found that failure of some buffers and the ability of others in this respect were correlated with their failure/ability to quench pH transients in the thylakoid lumen, as predicted by the chemiosmotic theory. It was shown that the chemiosmotic concept is a fair approximation, even for narrow aqueous phases, as in stacked thylakoids. These are approximately isopotential, and protons are taken in by the ATP synthase straight from the lumen. The molecular mechanism by which F0F1 ATPases couple proton flow to ATP synthesis is still unknown. The threefold structural symmetry of the headpiece that, probably, finds a corollary in the channel portion of these enzymes appeals to the common wisdom that structural symmetry causes functional symmetry. "Rotation catalysis" has been proposed. It is of heuristic value to visualize CFoCF1 as a mechanical coupling device. Its maximum turnover number ranges up to 400 s-1 for ATP and 1200 s-1 for protons. At about 200 mV electric driving force this implied a conductance of about 1 fS. Its channel portion (CFo), however, has revealed a very large protonic conductance of 1 pS (three orders of magnitude greater than the protonic conductance of gramicidin around neutral pH). (6) The sight and smell of food increased LH serotonin release; this effect was detectable when local fluoxetine was used to block serotonin reuptake.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)