Crystal Structure of the Yeast Vacuolar ATPase Heterotrimeric EGC(head) Peripheral Stalk Complex.
Oot, R.A., Huang, L.S., Berry, E.A., Wilkens, S.(2012) Structure 20: 1881-1892
- PubMed: 23000382 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.str.2012.08.020
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
4DL0, 4EFA - PubMed Abstract: 
Vacuolar ATPases (V-ATPases) are multisubunit rotary motor proton pumps that function to acidify subcellular organelles in all eukaryotic organisms. V-ATPase is regulated by a unique mechanism that involves reversible dissociation into V₁-ATPase and V₀ proton channel, a process that involves breaking of protein interactions mediated by subunit C, the cytoplasmic domain of subunit "a" and three "peripheral stalks," each made of a heterodimer of E and G subunits. Here, we present crystal structures of a yeast V-ATPase heterotrimeric complex composed of EG heterodimer and the head domain of subunit C (C(head)). The structures show EG heterodimer folded in a noncanonical coiled coil that is stabilized at its N-terminal ends by binding to C(head). The coiled coil is disrupted by a bulge of partially unfolded secondary structure in subunit G and we speculate that this unique feature in the eukaryotic V-ATPase peripheral stalk may play an important role in enzyme structure and regulation by reversible dissociation.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA.