Cloning of the yeast ATP3 gene coding for the gamma-subunit of F1 and characterization of atp3 mutants.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae pet mutants, of complementation group G115, are deficient in mitochondrial ATPase and have properties indicative of defective F1. In this study we show that C287/LU1, a mutant belonging to group G115, is complemented by the yeast nuclear ATP3 gene coding for the gamma-subunit of the mitochondrial F1-ATPase. The amino-terminal sequence of the mature gamma-subunit matches the sequence encoded by ATP3 starting with the 34th amino acid confirming the identity of the gene, and earlier evidence indicating that this F1 component is synthesized as a precursor with a long amino-terminal extension. The properties of the mitochondrial ATPase have been studied in C287/LU1 with an Ala273-->Val substitution in the carboxyl-terminal region of the gamma-subunit and in W303 delta ATP3, a mutant lacking the gamma-subunit as a result of a deletion in ATP3. Both strains have negligible ATPase activity but near normal concentrations of the alpha- and beta-subunits of F1. In W303 delta ATP3, the subunits do not form a stable F1 oligomer nor are they firmly associated with F0. This is not true of C287/LU1, which was found to assemble an F1-F0 complex. These data indicate that the yeast gamma-subunit has dual functions, one in catalysis of ATP hydrolysis/synthesis and the second in assembly/stability of F1.