F(1)·F(o) ATP Synthase/ATPase: Contemporary View on Unidirectional Catalysis

F(1)·F(o)-ATP synthases/ATPases (F(1)·F(o)) are molecular machines that couple either ATP synthesis from ADP and phosphate or ATP hydrolysis to the consumption or production of a transmembrane electrochemical gradient of protons. Currently, in view of the spread of drug-resistant disease-causing strains, there is an increasing interest in F(1)·F(o) as new targets for antimicrobial drugs, in particular, anti-tuberculosis drugs, and inhibitors of these membrane proteins are being considered in this capacity. However, the specific drug search is hampered by the complex mechanism of regulation of F(1)·F(o) in bacteria, in particular, in mycobacteria: the enzyme efficiently synthesizes ATP, but is not capable of ATP hydrolysis. In this review, we consider the current state of the problem of “unidirectional” F(1)·F(o) catalysis found in a wide range of bacterial F(1)·F(o) and enzymes from other organisms, the understanding of which will be useful for developing a strategy for the search for new drugs that selectively disrupt the energy production of bacterial cells.