Proton pumping ATPases and diverse inside-acidic compartments

Abstract

Proton-translocating ATPases are essential cellular energy converters that transduce the chemical energy of ATP hydrolysis into transmembrane proton electrochemical potential differences. The structures, catalytic mechanism, and cellular functions of three major classes of ATPases including the F-type, V-type, and P-type ATPase are discussed in this review. Physiological roles of the acidic organelles and compartments contained are also discussed. © 2004 The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan.