Figure 10 .

Assembly of ATP synthase from modular subassemblies. The imported subunits of the F₁ complex (green) are assembled in the matrix with the help of specific assembly chaperones (see text for details). Assembled F₁ activates mitochondrial translation of the dicistronic mRNA encoding Atp8 and Atp6, which nucleate the assembly of imported subunits into the stator module (red and tan). The Atp9 ring (blue) is assembled from monomers and then joined with F₁. Finally, association of the stator with the F₁-Atp9 ring subassembly generates the ATP synthase proton pore at the same time that ATPase activity is coupled to the inner membrane proton gradient. Reprinted by permission from Macmillan Publishers Ltd. from Rak et al. (2011).