F₁の化学反応スキームに関する新しい理解

抄録

F₁-ATPase (F₁) is a rotary motor protein which couples ATP hydrolysis/synthesis to rotary motion in a reversible fashion. Compared to other motor proteins, F₁ is unique for its high efficiency and reversibility in converting chemical energy into mechanical work. To elucidate its marvelous mechanism, we developed the novel single-molecule manipulation technique with magnetic tweezers and determined the timing of P_i release, which was the last unknown piece of the puzzle of chemomechanical coupling scheme of F₁. The established fundamental chemomechanical coupling scheme gave us a clue for high reversibility between catalysis and mechanical work.