Perfect chemomechanical coupling of FoF1-ATP synthase

Peter D. Mitchell, a Nobel awardee in 1978, proposed that F_oF₁-ATP synthase converts energy between electrochemical potential of H⁺ across biological membrane (Δ μ_{∼ ^H+} ), which is established by respiratory chain complexes, and chemical potential of adenine nucleotide [ΔG_(ATP)]. However, the efficiency of the energy conversion has been a matter of debate for over 50 years. In this study, with a highly reproducible analytical system using F_oF₁-ATP synthase from thermophilic Bacillus, apparently perfect energy conversion was observed. Mitchell's prediction thus has quantitative evidence.