Crystal Structure of the Cytoplasmic N-Terminal Domain of Subunit I, a Homolog of Subunit a, of V-ATPase

Subunit “a” is associated with the membrane-bound (VO) complex of eukaryotic vacuolar H+-ATPase acidification machinery. It has also been shown recently to be involved in diverse membrane fusion/secretory functions independent of acidification. Here, we report the crystal structure of the N-terminal cytosolic domain from the Meiothermus ruber subunit “I” homolog of subunit a. The structure is composed of a curved long central α-helix bundle capped on both ends by two lobes with similar α/β architecture. Based on the structure, a reasonable model of its eukaryotic subunit a counterpart was obtained. The crystal structure and model fit well into reconstructions from electron microscopy of prokaryotic and eukaryotic vacuolar H+-ATPases, respectively, clarifying their orientations and interactions and revealing features that could enable subunit a to play a role in membrane fusion/secretion.