The membrane bound ATP synthase of Escherichia coli: a review of structural and functional analyses of the atp operon.

The structure of the atp operon, which contains the genes for the eight subunits alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon, a, b and c of the membrane bound ATP synthase of Escherichia coli as determined by genetic experiments and DNA sequencing, is reviewed. The localization of transcription signals, namely of one major and two minor promoters, as well as the determination of the stoichiometry of the subunits (alpha:beta:gamma:delta:epsilon:a:b:c = 3:3:1:1:1:1:2:12-15) is summarized.