Functions of the Subunits of the Chloroplast ATP Synthase

叶绿体、线粒体和细菌膜合成质子连接ATP的机制是生物化学领域尚未解决的重大问题。这个奖项的目的是确定这种酶的不寻常的不对称性是否被催化转换改变。将阐明酶的δ亚基的作用及其在大分子中的位置。伽马和ε亚基之间的相互作用将进一步研究，因为这些多肽在酶活性的调节中起着关键作用。酶的结构变化是由在类囊体膜上形成的电化学质子梯度引起的。将尝试绘制这些变化并动态地跟踪它们。这项研究将提供重要的信息，帮助我们了解能量是如何通过一种富含能量的化合物——三磷酸腺苷（ATP）的合成在活细胞中储存的。

The mechanism of proton-linked ATP synthesis by chloroplast, mitochondrial and bacterial membranes is a major unsolved problem in biochemistry. This award is aimed at determining whether the unusual asymmetry of this enzyme is altered by catalytic turnover. The roles of the delta subunit of the enzyme and its position in the macromolecule will be elucidated. Interaction between the gamma and epsilon subunits will be further investigated since these polypeptides play critical roles in the regulation of the enzyme's activity. Structural changes in the enzyme are induced by the formation of electrochemical proton gradients across the thylakoid membrane. Attempts to map these changes and to follow them kinetically will be made. This research will provide vital information to help us understand how energy is stored in living cells by the synthesis of an energy rich compound, adenosine triphosphate (ATP).