Past exam of the short options paper shared by Prelims and Parts A and B of the physics course of the University of Oxford / 2012 / S12 / 2 / 1

ATP synthase couples downhill proton motion across a cell membrane to synthesis of ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate. Its membrane-embedded $F_o$ sector contains an $a$ subunit with offset proton-access half-channels and a rotating $c$-subunit ring. Reversible protonation of sites on the ring permits rotation relative to the stationary $a$ subunit. The central rotor transmits this motion through the $\gamma$ shaft to the soluble $F_1$ head. A peripheral stator holds the head relative to the membrane sector. The common bacterial schematic has an ${\alpha }_3{\beta }_3$ head, catalytic sites mainly on the three $\beta$ subunits, and a central $\gamma /ϵ$ rotor; accessory stator components depend on the organism.

The binding-change mechanism cycles the catalytic sites between open, loose-binding and tight-binding conformations. Rotor orientation changes their affinities for ADP, phosphate and ATP; the sites operate out of phase. Tight binding favors formation of bound ATP, and mechanical rotation changes the conformation to permit product release. In the ideal tightly coupled cycle, one revolution gives three catalytic turnovers:The proton count is not universally fixed: an ideal ring with $n_c$ proton-carrying subunits gives $n_c$ protons per revolution and $n_c/3$ protons per synthesized ATP, before additional transport costs.

For a proton moving from side 1 to side 2, its molar electrochemical potential change isThe chemical gradient and membrane electric potential difference together supply the proton-motive force. Synthesis requires the proton free-energy release to meet the positive Gibbs free energy of ATP synthesis. The coupling is reversible: isolated $F_1$ supplied with ATP can hydrolyse it and rotate its shaft, while the intact enzyme can use hydrolysis-driven rotation to pump protons against their gradient. The sketch is structural and schematic; it does not reconstruct the absent stepping trace.