The Complex Roles of Adenosine Triphosphate in Bioenergetics

ATP is generally defined as the "energy currency" of the cell. Its phosphoanhydride P-O bonds are often considered to be "high energy" linkages that release free energy when broken, and its hydrolysis is described as "strongly exergonic". However, breaking bonds cannot release energy and ATP hydrolysis in motor and active transport proteins is not "strongly exergonic". So, the relevance of ATP resides elsewhere. As important as the nucleotide are the proteins that undergo functionally relevant conformational changes upon both ATP binding and release of ADP and inorganic phosphate. ATP phosphorylates proteins for signaling, active transport, and substrates in condensation reactions. The ensuing dephosphorylation has different consequences in each case. In signaling and active transport the phosphate group is hydrolyzed whereas in condensation reactions the phosphoryl fragment acts as a dehydrating agent. As it will be discussed in this article, ATP does much more than simply contribute free energy to biological processes.