Water at a Subunit Interface

Interface of the Epsilon and Gamma Subunits of the ATP Synthase

This shows the gamma subunit (blue) and the epsilon subunit (green) of the ATP synthase. At the bottom, notice that a beta strand from gamma has joined one of the 5-stranded beta-sheets of epsilon. Since one beta-strand was lost during a conformational change in the epsilon subunit, now the beta-sandwich has sheets of 4 and 6 strands.

5 water molecules (red) are shown at the interface of the 2 subunits.

Selected residues that bind the water molecules are shown in wireframe, colored CPK. The water molecules are integrated into a polar region of the protein structure.

Wilce, M. C. J., Rodgers, A. J. W.: Structure of the γ-ε Complex of ATP Synthase Nat.Struct.Biol. 7 pp. 1051 (2000) (PubMed)

1fs0 (PDB)