The ATP Synthetase of Escherichia coli K12: Purification of the Enzyme and Reconstitution of Energy-Transducing Activities

The ATP synthetase of Escherichia coli K12 was purified by a simple procedure. The dicyclohexylcarbodiimide-sensitive ATPase activity was enriched 21-fold. The ATP synthetase preparation contained the eight polypeptides (alpha, beta, gamma, a,delta, b,espilon, c) of the enzyme and a residual contamination (4% of the total protein) as shown by dodecylsulfate/polyacrylamide electrophoresis. The polypeptide c was specifically labelled with [14C]dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. Energy-transducing activities were reconstituted from soybean phospholipids and the purified enzyme. The proteoliposomes exhibited a significantly higher ATP-32Pi exchange activity and a higher proton-translocating activity as compared to the untreated membranes.