Cell Language Theory, The: Connecting Mind And Matter

The Bhopalator 129

“6x9” b2861 The Cell Language Theory: Connecting Mind and Matter

Figure 3.35 The proton-driven synthesis of ATP catalyzed by the F 1 F 0 –ATP synthase: the

Rochester–Noji–Helsinki (RoNoH) mechanism. L = low-affinity conformation of the

b-subunit of the F 1 F 0 –ATP synthase unable to bind any adenine nucleotides and thus

remaining empty; M = medium-affinity conformation binding ADP plus Pi; H = high-

affinity conformation for ATP, thus able to convert (ADP + Pi) to ATP. n H+N = the n pro-

tons in the negative side of the membrane; n H+P = the n protons in the positive side of the

membrane, where n = 8–12 is the number of the c-subunits in the F 0 portion of the F 1 F 0 –

ATP synthase. The driving force for the synthesis of three molecules of ATP by one turno-

ver of the ATP synthase is provided by the exergonic movement of 8–12 protons through

the F 0 component of the F 0 F 1 subunit from the positive (P) side to the negative (N) side of

the mitochondrial inner membrane. The high-speed AFM (atomic force microscopic)

images shown are from [85].

ADP + Pi+ n H+P

M

ADP·.Pi

β 3

L

β 1

H

ATP

β 2

L

β 2

L

β 3

M

ADP·.Pi

M

ATHP ADP·.Pi

H

ATP

ATP + n H+N ATP + n H

+N

ATP + n H+N

b2861_Ch-03.indd 129 17-10-2017 11:46:49 AM