STRUCTURES OF P-TYPE AND F-TYPE ION PUMPS

P-type ion pumps are large, integral membrane proteins, whereas the F-type ATP synthase is an enormous multiple-subunit complex. Both have been the focal points of intensive physiological and mechanistic studies for many years; however, critical information about three-dimensional structure has been lacking. During the past year, new crystal forms of both P-type and F-type ATPases were reported. Although the resulting structures are at medium to low resolution, they provide novel structural and functional information, as well as prospects for higher resolution structures in the foreseeable future.