Question

what is ATP synthase and how does it work to generate ATP

Answer 1

ATP synthase is an enzyme which synthesizes ATP , the energy currency of the cell from ADP and inorganic phosphate by using the electrochemical gradient generated during electron transport in cellular respiration. It is located across the thylakoid membrane and inner mitochondrial membrane.

It consist of two subunits namely : F0 and F1. It has nine polypeptide chain subunits of five different kinds in a cluster and a unit of at least three more membrane proteins composing the attachment point of ADP and inorganic phosphate. This complex forms a specific proton pore in the membrane. When ADP and inorganic phospahte are bound to ATP synthase , the excess of protons that has formed outside of the mitochondria moves back into the mitochondrion through the enzyme complex. The energy released is used to convert ADP and inorganic phosphate to ATP. The mechanism by which the ATP synthase complex converts the energy stored in the electrical H⁺ gradient to the chemical bond energy in ATP is not  understood.