Structure of the nucleotide‐binding domain in the β‐subunit of Escherichia coli F1‐ATPase

Abstract

We propose a working model for the tertiary structure of the nucleotide‐binding domain of the β‐subunit of E. coli F₁‐ATPase, derived from secondary structure prediction and from comparison of the amino acid sequence with the sequences of other nucleotide‐binding proteins of known three‐dimensional structure. The model is consistent with previously published results of specific chemical modification studies and of analyses of mutations in the β‐subunit and its implications for subunit interactions and catalytic mechanism in F₁‐ATPases are discussed.