ATP-binding motif

An ATP-binding motif is a specific sequence of protein subunits (and hence genomic DNA base pairs) that promotes the attachment of ATP to a target protein. An ATP binding site is a protein micro-environment where ATP is captured and hydrolyzed to ADP, releasing energy that is utilized by the protein to "do work" by changing the protein shape and/or making the enzyme catalytically active. The same ATP binding motif is used in many proteins: hence a "motif" that is similar across a range of proteins. The genetic and functional similarity of such a motif demonstrates micro-evolution: proteins have co-opted the same binding sequence from other enzymes rather than developing them independently.

ATP binding sites, which may be representative of an ATP binding motif, are utilized on many proteins which perform function requiring an input of energy (from ATP). Such sites are located on active membrane transporters, microtubule subunits, flagellum proteins, and various hydrolytic and proteolytic enzymes.