REVIEW: Discovery and Study of Transmembrane Rotary Ion-Translocating Nano-Motors: F-ATPase/Synthase of Mitochondria/Bacteria and V-ATPase of Eukaryotic Cells

---

Vladimir Marshansky^a

Neuro-Horizon Pharma, Sharon, MA, 02067, USA

Received April 19, 2022; Revised July 8, 2022; Accepted July 8, 2022

---

This review discusses the history of discovery and study of the operation of the two rotary ion-translocating ATPase nano-motors: (i) F-ATPase/synthase (holocomplex F₁F_O) of mitochondria/bacteria and (ii) eukaryotic V-ATPase (holocomplex V₁V_O). Vacuolar adenosine triphosphatase (V-ATPase) is a transmembrane multisubunit complex found in all eukaryotes from yeast to humans. It is structurally and functionally similar to the F-ATPase/synthase of mitochondria/bacteria and the A-ATPase/synthase of archaebacteria, which indicates a common evolutionary origin of the rotary ion-translocating nano-motors built into cell membranes and invented by Nature billions of years ago. Previously we have published several reviews on this topic with appropriate citations of our original research. This review is focused on the historical analysis of the discovery and study of transmembrane rotary ion-translocating ATPase nano-motors functioning in bacteria, eukaryotic cells and mitochondria of animals.

---

KEY WORDS: F-ATPase/synthase, V-ATPase, transmembrane ATPase, rotary ion-translocating nano-motor

DOI: 10.1134/S000629792208003X

---