The H+-ATP synthase of the inner mitochondrial membrane utilizes the proton gradient generated by the respiratory chain to synthesize ATP. Under depolarizing conditions, it can function in reverse by hydrolyzing ATP to generate a proton gradient. The protocols presented here allow the facile determination of both the synthetic and hydrolytic activities of the H+-ATP synthase in isolated mitochondria and in permeabilized mammalian cells. Since the protocol requires the isolation of polarized and well-coupled mitochondria, first we describe the protocol for mitochondrial isolation from mouse tissues. Second, we describe the protocol for measuring the ATP synthetic activity as end-point and kinetic modes in isolated mitochondria and in permeabilized cells. Finally, we describe the protocol for the determination of the ATP hydrolytic activity of the enzyme in isolated mitochondria.
García-Bermúdez, J., Nuevo-Tapioles, C. and Cuezva, J. M. (2016). Determination of the H+-ATP Synthase and Hydrolytic Activities. Bio-protocol 6(16): e1905. DOI: 10.21769/BioProtoc.1905.