ATP synthase is a critical enzyme complex for cellular energy production, catalyzing ATP synthesis via oxidative phosphorylation. In Burkholderia cenocepacia, ATP synthase consists of multiple subunits, including the delta (δ) subunit encoded by the atpH gene. This subunit stabilizes the F1 portion of ATP synthase, ensuring efficient coupling of proton translocation and ATP synthesis .
Key Features of ATP Synthase Subunit Delta (atpH):
Role: Structural stabilization of the F1 complex, ensuring rotational catalysis efficiency.
Gene: atpH (BCAM_xxxx, locus-specific identifier varies by strain).
Post-Translational Modifications: Potential phosphorylation sites inferred from homologous bacterial systems .
Recombinant B. cenocepacia ATP synthase subunit delta is produced through heterologous expression systems, typically in Escherichia coli. Cloning involves PCR amplification of atpH followed by ligation into expression vectors (e.g., pET23a+) and transformation into BL21(DE3) cells .
Example Protocol:
Yield: ~15–20 mg/L culture, purity >95% (SDS-PAGE verified) .
Applications:
Antimicrobial Target Studies: ATP synthase is a target for diarylquinolines (e.g., bedaquiline) .
Structural Biology: Cryo-EM studies to map drug-binding sites .
Challenges in Study:
Membrane Localization: Requires detergent solubilization for in vitro assays .
Regulatory Complexity: Co-expression with other subunits (e.g., α, β, γ) is often necessary for functional reconstitution .
CRISPRi-Based Knockdown: Utilize CRISPR interference (as in ) to study atpH essentiality in B. cenocepacia biofilms.
Proteomic Profiling: Combine surfomics (surface-shaving LC-MS/MS ) with δ-subunit immunoprecipitation to map interactors.
Therapeutic Development: Screen δ-subunit inhibitors using thermal shift assays .
KEGG: bcm:Bcenmc03_0119