Biophysical comparison of ATP synthesis mechanisms shows a kinetic advantage for the rotary process

Biophysical comparison of ATP synthesis mechanisms shows a kinetic advantage for the rotary process

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Biophysical comparison of ATP synthesis mechanisms shows a kinetic advantage for the rotary process

All living organisms—archaea, bacteria, and eukarya—use an intricate rotary molecular machine to synthesize ATP, the energy currency of the cell.

the rotary mechanism is faster than other possible mechanisms, particularly under challenging conditions, suggesting a possible evolutionary advantage.

The ATP synthase (F-ATPase) is a highly complex rotary machine that synthesizes ATP, powered by a proton electrochemical gradient.

the complexity of the F-ATPase may have resulted from positive selection for its kinetic advantage.

The rotary ATP synthase is universally used by living organisms as the primary mechanism for synthesizing ATP.

synthesis of ATP by a rotary mechanism—in which protons pass one at a time through the synthase—is more efficient than other mechanisms, particularly under challenging low-energy conditions.

the maximum FE climb, which typically involves multiple steps, may be a key determinant of the rate of ATP synthesis. Additional analysis of the rotary mechanism suggests an experimentally pertinent hypothesis—namely, kinetic equivalence of pmf components will depend on experimental conditions.