Single-molecule dynamics reveal ATP binding alone powers substrate translocation by an ABC transporter

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are molecular machines involved in diverse physiological processes, including antigen processing by TAP, a key component of adaptive immunity. TAP and its bacterial homolog TmrAB use ATP to translocate peptides across membranes, yet the precise mechanism linking ATP binding to substrate movement remains unclear. Here, we employ a single-molecule FRET sensor to visualize single translocation events by individual ABC transporters and thereby overcome the limitations of ensemble averaging. This approach reveals that substrate transport is driven by a conformational switch from the inward- to the outward-facing state. Using a slow-turnover TmrAB variant, we demonstrate that ATP binding alone, even in the absence of Mg²⁺, is sufficient to drive a single round of peptide translocation. Cryo-EM structures of wild-type and slow-turnover TmrAB show that ATP binding induces the outward-facing conformation even without Mg²⁺. In wild-type TmrAB, this conformational transition supports a single translocation event, whereas Mg²⁺-dependent ATP hydrolysis is required to reset the transporter. These findings establish a direct mechanistic link between ATP binding and substrate translocation at single-molecule resolution and provide insight into the catalytic cycle of ABC transporters.