Kinetic properties of arginine phosphokinase from honeybees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

The kinetic properties of honeybee arginine phosphokinase (APK), which catalyzes the reaction: Arginine phosphate + ADP + H⁺ ? arginine + ATP, have been studied.In the direction of ATP synthesis, the pH optimum was around pH 7.2 and the activation energy over the range 18–44 °C was about 10,500 cal/mole. The optimum ratio of Mg²⁺:ADP was about 4:1.In the direction of arginine phosphate (AP) synthesis, the enzyme had a pH optimum around pH 8.3. The energy of activation for the reaction over the range 22–39 °C was about 7500 cal/mole. The optimum ratio of Mg²⁺:ATP was about 1:1.The initial velocities of the reactions in the direction of ATP and AP synthesis were measured at varying concentrations of one substrate while the concentration of the other substrate was held constant at several levels. The double reciprocal plots of the data obtained yielded a series of intersecting lines, indicating that the enzyme has a sequential mechanism. Radioisotope exchange experiment showed that arginine phosphokinase did not catalyze ATP ? ADP exchange in the absence of arginine. Product inhibition studies showed that arginine was competitive with AP and noncompetitive with ADP; whereas ATP was competitive with ADP and noncompetitive with arginine. The results from initial velocity, radioisotope exchange, and product inhibition studies suggested that the enzyme has a rapid equilibrium, random mechanism.     

Influence of the redox state and the activation of the chloroplast ATP synthase on proton-transport-coupled ATP synthesis/hydrolysis

The membrane-bound ATP synthase from chloroplasts can occur in different redox and activation states. In the absence of reductants the enzyme usually is oxidized and inactive, E^ox_i. Illumination in the presence of dithiothreitol leads to an active, reduced enzyme, E^red_a. If this form is stored in the dark in the presence of dithiothreitol an inactive, reduced enzyme E^red_i is formed. The rates of ATP synthesis and ATP hydrolysis catalyzed by the different enzyme species are measured as a function of ΔpH (Δψ = 0 mV). The ΔpH was generated with an acid-base transition using a rapid-mixing quenched flow apparatus. The following results were obtained. (1) The oxidized ATP synthase catalyzes high rates of ATP synthesis, v^ox_max = 400 ATP per CF₀F₁ per s. The half-maximal rate is obtained at ΔpH = 3.4. (2) The active, reduced ATP synthase catalyzes high rates of ATP synthesis, v^red_max = 400 ATP per CF₀F₁ per s. The half-maximal rate is obtained at ΔpH = 2.7. It catalyzes also high rates of ATP hydrolysis v^red_max = −90 ATP per CF₀F per s at ΔpH = 0. (3) The inactive species (both oxidized and reduced) catalyze neither ATP synthesis nor ATP hydrolysis. The activation/inactivation of the reduced enzyme is completely reversible. (4) The activation of the reduced, inactive enzyme is measured as a function of ΔpH by measuring the rate of ATP hydrolysis catalyzed by the active species. Half-maximal activation is observed at ΔpH = 2.2. (5) On the basis of these results a reaction scheme is proposed relating the redox reaction, the activation and the catalytic reaction of the chloroplast ATP synthase.     

Control of phosphofructokinase from rat skeletal muscle. Effects of fructose diphosphate, AMP, ATP, and citrate.

Under conditions used previously for demonstrating glycolytic oscillations in muscle extracts (pH 6.65, 0.1 to 0.5 mM ATP), phosphofructokinase from rat skeletal muscle is strongly activated by micromolar concentrations of fructose diphosphate. The activation is dependent on the presence of AMP. Activation by fructose diphosphate and AMP, and inhibition by ATP, is primarily due to large changes in the apparent affinity of the enzyme for the substrate fructose 6-phosphate. These control properties can account for the generation of glycolytic oscillations. The enzyme was also studied under conditions approximating the metabolite contents of skeletal muscle in vivo (pH 7.0, 10mM ATP, 0.1 mM fructose 6-phosphate). Under these more inhibitory conditions, phosphofructokinase is strongly activated by low concentrations of fructose diphosphate, with half-maximal activation at about 10 muM. Citrate is a potent inhibitor at physiological concentrations, whereas AMP is a strong activator. Both AMP and citrate affect the maximum velocity and have little effect on affinity of the enzyme for fructose diphosphate.     

Regulation of Succinate Dehydrogenase in Higher Plants: II. Activation by Substrates, Reduced Coenzyme Q, Nucleotides, and Anions

The effect of various agents on the activation of succinate dehydrogenase in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea) and mung bean (Phaseolus aureus) mitochondria and in sonicated particles has been investigated. Reduced coenzyme Q₁₀, inosine diphosphate, inosine triphosphate, acid pH, and anions activate the enzyme in mitochondria from higher plants in the same manner as in mammalian preparations. Significant differences have been detected in the behavior of plant and animal preparations in the effects of ATP, ADP, NADH, NAD-linked substrates, and of 2, 4-dinitrophenol on the state of activation of the dehydrogenase. In mammalian mitochondria ATP activates, whereas ADP does not, and the ATP effect is shown only in intact mitochondria. In mung bean and cauliflower mitochondria, both ATP and ADP activate and the effect is also shown in sonicated and frozen-thawed preparations. In sonicated mung bean mitochondria NADH causes complete activation, as in mammalian submitochondrial particles, but in sonicated cauliflower mitochondria activation by NADH is incomplete, as is also true of intact, anaerobic cauliflower mitochondria. Moreover, neither NAD-linked substrates nor a combination of these with NADH can fully activate the enzyme in cauliflower mitochondria. In contrast to mammalian mitochondria, succinate dehydrogenase is not deactivated in cauliflower or mung beam mitochondria under the oxidized conditions brought about by uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation by 2,4-dinitrophenol.     

cAMP/Protein Kinase A Activates Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator for ATP Release from Rat Skeletal Muscle during Low pH or Contractions

We have shown that cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is involved in ATP release from skeletal muscle at low pH. These experiments investigate the signal transduction mechanism linking pH depression to CFTR activation and ATP release, and evaluate whether CFTR is involved in ATP release from contracting muscle. Lactic acid treatment elevated interstitial ATP of buffer-perfused muscle and extracellular ATP of L6 myocytes: this ATP release was abolished by the non-specific CFTR inhibitor, glibenclamide, or the specific CFTR inhibitor, CFTR_inh-172, suggesting that CFTR was involved, and by inhibition of lactic acid entry to cells, indicating that intracellular pH depression was required. Muscle contractions significantly elevated interstitial ATP, but CFTR_inh-172 abolished the increase. The cAMP/PKA pathway was involved in the signal transduction pathway for CFTR-regulated ATP release from muscle: forskolin increased CFTR phosphorylation and stimulated ATP release from muscle or myocytes; lactic acid increased intracellular cAMP, pCREB and PKA activity, whereas IBMX enhanced ATP release from myocytes. Inhibition of PKA with KT5720 abolished lactic-acid- or contraction-induced ATP release from muscle. Inhibition of either the Na⁺/H⁺-exchanger (NHE) with amiloride or the Na⁺/Ca²⁺-exchanger (NCX) with SN6 or KB-R7943 abolished lactic-acid- or contraction-induced release of ATP from muscle, suggesting that these exchange proteins may be involved in the activation of CFTR. Our data suggest that CFTR-regulated release contributes to ATP release from contracting muscle in vivo, and that cAMP and PKA are involved in the activation of CFTR during muscle contractions or acidosis; NHE and NCX may be involved in the signal transduction pathway.     

Calcium, ATP, and Magnesium Activate Soluble Tyrosine Hydroxylase from Rat Striatum

Soluble tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) prepared from rat striatum by sonication, centrifugation, and gel filtration on Sephadex G-25 was activated by preincubation with Ca2+, ATP, and Mg2+. Activation occurred with micromolar concentrations of Ca2+ and required the presence of both ATP and Mg2+. The activation was reversible and was characterized by a large decrease of apparent Km for the pteridine cofactor and a small increase of Vmax. Ca2+-induced activation was small when TH activity was assayed at pH values near the optimum, but the magnitude of the activation increased with increasing assay pH. The activation apparently did not involve Ca2+-activated protease because it was not affected by the protease inhibitor leupeptin. Nor did it involve cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, as evidenced by the failure of the heat-stable inhibitor of this kinase to decrease Ca2+-induced TH activation. Furthermore, the activation of TH evoked by Ca2+ and that produced by cyclic AMP was additive. These experiments indicate that striatal TH can be activated in vitro by an endogenous Ca2+-dependent mechanism. The similarity of the Ca2+-induced activation of TH to that elicited by increased neuronal activity and terminal depolarization is discussed.     

Direct activation of cloned K(atp) channels by intracellular acidosis

ATP-sensitive K(+) (K(ATP)) channels may be regulated by protons in addition to ATP, phospholipids, and other nucleotides. Such regulation allows a control of cellular excitability in conditions when pH is low but ATP concentration is normal. However, whether the K(ATP) changes its activity with pH alterations remains uncertain. In this study we showed that the reconstituted K(ATP) was strongly activated during hypercapnia and intracellular acidosis using whole-cell recordings. Further characterizations in excised patches indicated that channel activity increased with a moderate drop in intracellular pH and decreased with strong acidification. The channel activation was produced by a direct action of protons on the Kir6 subunit and relied on a histidine residue that is conserved in all K(ATP). The inhibition appeared to be a result of channel rundown and was not seen in whole-cell recordings. The biphasic response may explain the contradictory pH sensitivity observed in cell-endogenous K(ATP) in excised patches. Site-specific mutations of two residues showed that pH and ATP sensitivities were independent of each other. Thus, these results demonstrate that the proton is a potent activator of the K(ATP). The pH-dependent activation may enable the K(ATP) to control vascular tones, insulin secretion, and neuronal excitability in several pathophysiologic conditions.     

Enhanced nucleic acid binding to ATP-bound hepatitis C virus NS3 helicase at low pH activates RNA unwinding

The molecular basis of the low-pH activation of the helicase encoded by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) was examined using either a full-length NS3 protein/NS4A cofactor complex or truncated NS3 proteins lacking the protease domain, which were isolated from three different viral genotypes. All proteins unwound RNA and DNA best at pH 6.5, which demonstrate that conserved NS3 helicase domain amino acids are responsible for low-pH enzyme activation. DNA unwinding was less sensitive to pH changes than RNA unwinding. Both the turnover rate of ATP hydrolysis and the K_m of ATP were similar between pH 6 and 10, but the concentration of nucleic acid needed to stimulate ATP hydrolysis decreased almost 50-fold when the pH was lowered from 7.5 to 6.5. In direct-binding experiments, HCV helicase bound DNA weakly at high pH only in the presence of the non-hydrolyzable ATP analog, ADP(BeF₃). These data suggest that a low-pH environment might be required for efficient HCV RNA translation or replication, and support a model in which an acidic residue rotates toward the RNA backbone upon ATP binding repelling nucleic acid from the binding cleft.     

Nucleotide regulation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase from Escherichia coli

Adenine, cytosine, guanine, and uracil nucleotides were surveyed as possible modulators of Escherichia coli phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase. CMP, CDP, CTP, GDP, and GTP activate, ATP and GMP inhibit. The other nucleotides are without effect. Nucleotide activation is synergistic with acetyl-CoA or laurate. Cytosine nucleotide activation is also synergistic with fructose 1,6-diphosphate, whereas guanine nucleotide activation is not. The pH profiles for CMP and GDP activation, studied individually between pH 7.0 and 9.0, are similar to those for activation by fructose 1,6-diphosphate. ATP inhibits activation by acetyl-CoA, laurate, or fructose 1,6-diphosphate. Pairs of activators synergistically relieve the inhibition. Acetyl-CoA with laurate is most effective. Energy charge profiles suggest little sensitivity to charge fluctuation near 0.8. Ribose 5-phosphate also inhibits activation by acetyl-CoA, laurate, or fructose 1,6-diphosphate. GMP selectively inhibits fructose 1,6-diphosphate activation.     

Modulation of 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex by inorganic phosphate, Mg(2+), and other effectors

The interplay of inorganic phosphate (Pi) with other ligands such as Mg(2+), ADP, ATP, and Ca(2+) on the activation of 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (2-OGDH) in both isolated enzyme complex and mitochondrial extracts was examined. Pi alone activated the enzyme, following biphasic kinetics with high (K(0.5) = 1.96+/-0.42 mM) and low (K(0.5) = 9.8+/-0.4 mM) affinity components for Pi. The activation by Pi was highly pH-dependent; it increased when the pH raised from 7.1 to 7.6, but it was negligible at pH values below 7.1. Mg-Pi and Mg-ADP, but not Mg-ATP, were more potent activators of 2-OGDH than free Pi and free ADP. ATP inhibited the 2-OGDH activity by chelating the free Mg(2+) and also as a Mg-ATP complex. With or without Mg(2+), ADP, and Pi activated the 2-OGDH by increasing the affinity for 2-OG and the V(m) of the reaction; ATP diminished the V(m), but it increased the affinity for 2-OG in the mitochondrial extract. Pi did not modify the 2-OGDH activation by Ca(2+). The results above mentioned were similar for both preparations, except for hyperbolic kinetics in the isolated enzyme and sigmoidal kinetics in the mitochondrial extracts when 2-oxoglutarate was varied. The data of this study indicated that physiological concentrations of Pi may exert a significant activation of 2-OGDH, which was potentiated by Mg(2+) and high pH, but surpassed by ADP.     

ATP synthesis by ATPase proteoliposomes from the thermophilic cyanobacterium Synechococcus 6716 by ionophore-induced electric potentials and proton gradients

ATP synthesis driven by low pre-established electric potentials and pH gradients is studied in large ATPase proteoliposomes, prepared from the ATPase complex and native lipids from the thermophilic cyanobacterium Synechococcus 6716. Electric potentials and pH gradients were achieved by valinomycin and nigericin, respectively, in the presence of a K⁺ gradient across the membrane. External base-pulses were also applied. In this system ATP synthesis driven by valinomycin-induced K⁺ influx, nigericin-induced internal acidification and by external base-pulses is demonstrated. Electric potentials and pH gradients of equivalent size lead to roughly similar ATP synthesis activities. ATP synthesis is optimal at 80–100 nM valinomycin and at 0.75−1 μM nigericin at the proper pre-set ion gradients. Uncoupler and DCCD inhibit ATP synthesis. Prior activation of the complex by thiol agents or trypsin was not required for synthesis activity. The ATP synthesis rate increases with the size of electric potential or pH gradient. The threshold value of the electrochemical gradient for significant ATP synthesis is about 30 mV. ATP production proceeds for more than 60 min. The generation of ionophore-induced electric potentials and pH gradients have been followed by oxonol VI and intraliposomal Neutral red, respectively. The extent of the absorbance changes of both probes is proportional to the size of electric potential or pH gradient. Ionophore-induced oxonol VI and Neutral red responses are stable for at least 30 min. The results are discussed in terms of membrane permeability and vesicle size.     

Effects of protons on macroscopic and single-channel currents mediated by the human P2X7 receptor

Human P2X7 receptors (hP2X7Rs) belong to the P2X family, which opens an intrinsic cation channel when challenged by extracellular ATP. hP2X7Rs are expressed in cells of the inflammatory and immune system. During inflammation, ATP and protons are secreted into the interstitial fluid. Therefore, we investigated the effect of protons on the activation of hP2X7Rs. hP2X7Rs were expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes and activated by the agonists ATP or benzoyl-benzoyl-ATP (BzATP) at different pH values. The protons reduced the hP2X7R-dependent cation current amplitude and slowed the current deactivation depending on the type and concentration of the agonist used. These effects can be explained by (i) the protonation of ATP, which reduces the effective concentration of the agonist ATP⁴⁻ at the high- and low-affinity ATP activation site of the hP2XR, and (ii) direct allosteric inhibition of the hP2X7R channel opening that follows ATP⁴⁻ binding to the low-affinity activation site. Due to the hampered activation via the low-affinity activation site, a low pH (as observed in inflamed tissues) leads to a relative increase in the contribution of the high-affinity activation site for hP2X7R channel opening.     

The pH dependence of the allosteric response of human liver pyruvate kinase to fructose-1,6-bisphosphate, ATP, and alanine

The allosteric regulation of human liver pyruvate kinase (hL-PYK) by fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (Fru-1,6-BP; activator), ATP (inhibitor) and alanine (Ala; inhibitor) was monitored over a pH range from 6.5 to 8.0 at 37 °C. As a function of increasing pH, hL-PYK’s affinity for the substrate phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP), and for Fru-1,6-BP decreases, while affinities for ATP and alanine slightly increases. At pH 6.5, Fru-1,6-BP and ATP elicit only small allosteric impacts on PEP affinity. As pH increases, Fru-1,6-BP and ATP elicit greater allosteric responses, but the response to alanine is relatively constant. Since the magnitudes of the allosteric coupling for ATP and for alanine inhibition are different and the pH dependences of these magnitudes are not similar, these inhibitors likely elicit their responses using different molecular mechanisms. In addition, our results fail to support a general correlation between pH dependent changes in effector affinity and pH dependent changes in the corresponding allosteric response.     

Change in energy metabolism of ascites cancer cells with a decrease in pH]

In Hank's balanced salt solution EL-4 ascites thymoma cells possessed endogenous respiration which was sufficient for the maintenance of their ATP level: pH decrease down to 6.0 had no effect either on endogenous respiration or the ATP level. Glucose had no influence on the respiration of EL-4 cells but inhibited that of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells by 40% (Crabtree effect); respiration of the both cell lines was strongly (4-fold) inhibited after simultaneous addition of glucose, lactate and pH decrease. EL-4 cells had no endogenous glycolysis; EAC cells showed a low level of glycolysis only after pH decrease. Glucose addition led to activation of glycolysis (both inhibited 2-fold after a decrease of pH down to 6.0. The respiration inhibition at pH 7.3 and 6.0 caused no decrease of ATP depletion when glucose was present in the medium; this result may be due to suppression of ATP consumption. Incubation of EL-4 cells under respiration and glycolysis deficiency conditions resulted in a sharp ATP depletion; pH decrease delayed this depletion.     

Induction of permeability change and restoration of membrane permeability barrier in transformed cell cultures

Transformed 3T3 cells incubated with ATP at an alkaline pH become permeable to phosphorylated compounds. The increase in membrane permeability can be induced by incubation with ATP at a neutral pH but only if sodium fluoride is present. Fluoride is not necessary for activation of the permeability change in these cultures at the alkaline pH. The effect of fluoride is very rapid, and sodium fluoride by itself does not alter membrane permeability. The alteration of membrane permeability by ATP in 3T6 cells is reversible; the permeability barrier is restored by switching to neutral buffer in the presence or absence of divalent cations. The restoration of the membrane permeability barrier is prevented by fluoride, and by ATP itself; this action of ATP is specific and no other nucleoside triphosphates or chelating agents produce this effect. Untransformed 3T3 cells do not exhibit any appreciable change in permeability as a result of ATP treatment either in the presence or absence of fluoride. These results are consistent with the presence on the transformed cell surface of an ATP-requiring protein kinase and a fluoride-inhibitable protein phosphatase, which would be involved in the control of membrane permeability.     

Kinetic Properties of the ATP-Dependent Phosphofructokinase Isoenzymes from Cucumber Seeds

Two isoenzymes of ATP:D-fructose-6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase(phosphofructokinase) are present in germinating cucumber seeds,one in the plastids and the other in the cytosol. Both isoenzymeswere purified and some of their kinetic properties studied.These two isoenzymes differ kinetically, the pH optimum of thecytosolic isoenzyme being 7.2 and that of the plastid isoenzymebeing 8.0. Both isoenzymes are activated by phosphate althoughthe concentration required for activation is much lower forthe plastid isoenzyme than cytosolic isoenzyme. Phosphate increasesthe affinity of the isoenzymes for fructose-6-phosphate andalso changes the sigmoidal kinetics of the plastid isoenzymefor this substrate to hyperbolic kinetics at pH 7.2. The fructose-6-phosphatesaturation kinetics of the cytosolic isoenzyme becomes moresigmoidal with an increase in pH while the opposite is truefor the plastid isoenzyme. The cytosolic isoenzyme has a higheraffinity for fructose-6-phosphate at pH 7.2 than pH 8.0 whilethe affinity of the plastid isoenzyme for fructose-6-phosphateis highest at pH 8.0. Both isoenzymes are inhibited by ATP andthe extent of inhibition is pH dependent. The cytosolic isoenzymeis more sensitive to ATP inhibition at pH 8.0 than pH 7.2 whilethe opposite holds for the plastid isoenzyme. Magnesium alleviatesthe ATP inhibition of the plastid isoenzyme suggesting thatfree ATP is the inhibitory form. In contrast the ATP inhibitionof the cytosolic isoenzyme apparently appears to be caused bythe magnesium-ATP complex. (Received May 19, 1987; Accepted January 18, 1988)     

Effect of adenine nucleotides on the reaction catalyzed by pyruvate,orthophosphate dikinase in maize

The effect of adenine nucleotides in pyruvate, orthophosphate dikinase (EC 2.7.9.1, ATP, pyruvate, orthophosphate phosphotransferase)_was studied with the enzyme furified from maize, and with the enzyme obtained from mesophyll chloroplast extracts during assay in the direction of pyruvate conversion to phosphoenolpyruvate. (1) In studies with the purified enzyme, the relationship of initial velocity to ATP concentrations follows Michaelis-Menten kinetics, and the K_m value for ATP was 22.8 μM (± 5.1 μM, n = 5). (2) AMP was a competitive inhibitor with respect to ATP, and its K_i value was 35.8 μM (± μM, n = 4). There was no inhibition of catalysis by ADP up to a concentration of 460 μM. (3) The theoretical response of the enzyme to change in the adenylate energy charge was calculated from the kinetic constants for ATP and AMP. The experimentally obtained values were similar to the theoretical response when varying energy charge was generated by addition of appropriate amounts of ATP, ADP and AMP in assays with the purified enzyme. The response of the enzyme to energy charge at different pH values (pH 7.0, 7.5, and 8.0) was similar, although the activity of the enzyme at pH 7.0 was about 40% of that at pH 8.0. (4) When mesophyll chloroplast extracts of maize, which contain high levels of adenylate kinase, were used as the source of the enzyme and the adenylate energy charge was generated by addition of different concentrations of ATP and AMP, the influence on catalysis was similar to that with the purified enzyme. (5) The data show that the effect of varying energy chage on the activity of the dikinase is not typical of a U-type enzyme, in contrast to phosphoglycerate kinase (EC 2.7.2.3, ATP: 3-phospho-D-glycerate 1-phosphotransferase), which is more strongly regulated. (6) Evidence is presented for competition between the dikinase and phosphoglycerate kinase for ATP in mesophyll chloroplast extracts of maize. (7) When the effect of adenylate energy charge on the state of activation and the direct effect on catalysis of the dikanase are combined, the total capacity for catalysis is very dependent on the energy charge.     

Energetic and regulatory role of proton potential in chloroplasts

The review focuses on the energetic and regulatory role of proton potential in the activity of chloroplasts, the light energy-converting organelles of plant cells. Mechanisms of generation of the transmembrane difference of electrochemical potentials of hydrogen ions in the chloroplast thylakoid membranes are considered. Methods for measuring the intrathylakoid pH in chloroplasts are described. It is shown that under conditions of phosphorylation in chloroplasts, the pH of the intrathylakoid space decreases moderately (pH_in ⩾ 6.0–6.2, at the stroma pH_out ∼ 7.8–8.0), with a corresponding concentration component of equal to ΔpH ⩽ 1.6–2.0. On analyzing the energy and structural features of ATP synthase of chloroplasts, we conclude that the energy stored as the concentration component of the proton potential ΔpH is sufficient to sustain ATP synthesis. The mechanisms of pH-dependent regulation of electron transport in chloroplasts (photosynthetic control of electron transport, enhancement of non-photochemical quenching of chlorophyll excitation in the light-harvesting antenna, light-induced activation of the Calvin-Benson cycle reactions, activation of ATP synthase) are considered briefly.     

Function, structure and regulation of cyanobacterial and chloroplast ATP synthase

The proton-translocating ATP synthase from chloroplasts and cyanobacteria forms ATP upon photosynthetic electron transport by using the proton gradient across the thylakoid membrane. Both enzymes contain nine different subunits and from the similarity in gene organisation and the high degree of amino acid sequence homology of the subunits it appears that these ATP synthases might have a common ancestor. Both enzymes need to be activated by membrane energisation in order to perform catalytic activity but, in contrast to the chloroplast ATP synthase, that from the studied cyanobacteria (with the exception of Spirulina platensis ) shows no effect of the redox state on activation. Functionally, the cyanobacterial enzyme corresponds to the reduced form of the chloroplast ATP synthase. In the chloroplast enzyme a stretch of 9 amino acids, including two cysteines in the γ-subunit, is involved in this redox effect and this stretch is absent in cyanobacteria. With γ-mutants from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis 6803 the role of this stretch is studied. When active, both the cyanobacterial and the reduced chloroplast ATP synthase transport 4 protons per ATP synthesised and hydrolysed. This ratio may depend on the environment of the enzyme such as protein and lipid composition and pH.