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  • The EMBO Journal (2005) 24, 3974 - 3983
  • doi:10.1038/sj.emboj.7600859

Published online: 10 November 2005

Structure of a central stalk subunit F of prokaryotic V-type ATPase/synthase from Thermus thermophilus

Hisayoshi Makyio1,2, Ryota Iino1, Chiyo Ikeda1, Hiromi Imamura1, Masatada Tamakoshi3, Momi Iwata1,2, Daniela Stock4, Ricardo A Bernal4, Elisabeth P Carpenter2, Masasuke Yoshida1,5, Ken Yokoyama1 and So Iwata1,2

  1. ATP System Project, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Yokohama, Japan
  2. Department of Biological Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
  3. Department of Molecular Biology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Science, Tokyo, Japan
  4. MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
  5. Chemical Resources Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan

Correspondence to:

So Iwata, Department of Biological Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK. Tel.: +44 20 759 43064; Fax: +44 20 759 43022; E-mail: s.iwata@imperial.ac.uk

Ken Yokoyama, Tel.: +81 45 924 5891; Fax: +81 45 922 5239; E-mail: kyokoyama-ra@res.titech.ac.jp

Received 8 July 2005; Accepted 7 October 2005

The crystal structure of subunit F of vacuole-type ATPase/synthase (prokaryotic V-ATPase) was determined to of 2.2 Å resolution. The subunit reveals unexpected structural similarity to the response regulator proteins that include the Escherichia coli chemotaxis response regulator CheY. The structure was successfully placed into the low-resolution EM structure of the prokaryotic holo-V-ATPase at a location indicated by the results of crosslinking experiments. The crystal structure, together with the single-molecule analysis using fluorescence resonance energy transfer, showed that the subunit F exhibits two conformations, a 'retracted' form in the absence and an 'extended' form in the presence of ATP. Our results postulated that the subunit F is a regulatory subunit in the V-ATPase.

  • Keywords:

    • ATP synthase,
    • CheY,
    • crystal structure,
    • rotary motor,
    • V-ATPase