Regulation of the mammalian-brain V-ATPase through ultraslow mode-switching.

Vacuolar-type adenosine triphosphatases (V-ATPases) are electrogenic rotary mechanoenzymes structurally related to F-type ATP synthases. They hydrolyse ATP to establish electrochemical proton gradients for a plethora of cellular processes. In neurons, the loading of all neurotransmitters into synaptic vesicles is energized by about one V-ATPase molecule per synaptic vesicle.