Inhibitors of the catalytic domain of mitochondrial ATP synthase

An understanding of the mechanism of ATP synthase requires an explanation of how inhibitors act. The catalytic F₁-ATPase domain of the enzyme has been studied extensively by X-ray crystallography in a variety of inhibited states. Four independent inhibitory sites have been identified by high-resolution structural studies. They are the catalytic site, and the binding sites for the antibiotics aurovertin and efrapeptin and for the natural inhibitor protein, IF₁.