Optimal Rectification without Forward-Current Suppression by Biological Molecular Motor

Phys Rev Lett. 2021 May 21;126(20):208101. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.208101.

Abstract

We experimentally show that biological molecular motor F_{1}-ATPase (F_{1}) implements an optimal rectification mechanism. The rectification mechanism hardly suppresses the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate by F_{1}, which is F_{1}'s physiological role, while inhibiting the unfavorable hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate. This optimal rectification contrasts highly with that of a simple ratchet model, where the inhibition of the backward current is inevitably accompanied by the suppression of the forward current. Our detailed analysis of single-molecule trajectories demonstrates a novel but simple rectification mechanism of F_{1} with parallel landscapes and asymmetric transition rates.

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphate / chemistry
  • Adenosine Triphosphate / metabolism
  • Hydrolysis
  • Models, Chemical*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Proton-Translocating ATPases / chemistry*
  • Proton-Translocating ATPases / metabolism
  • Single Molecule Imaging
  • Thermodynamics

Substances

  • Adenosine Triphosphate
  • Proton-Translocating ATPases