Question: Assume you have reconstituted into the same membrane vesicles purified bacteriorhodopsin, which is a light drive H+ pump from a photosynthetic bacterium, and purified ATP synthase from ox heart mitochondria. Suppose that all molecules of bacteriorhodopsin and ATP synthase are oriented as shown in the figure below, so that protons are pumped into the vesicle and ATP synthesis occurs on the outer surface.

A. If you add ADP and phosphate to the external medium and shine light into the suspension of vesicles, would you expect ATP to be synthesized? Why?

B. If you prepared the vesicles without being careful to remove all the detergent, which makes the bilayer leaky to protons, would you expect ATP to be synthesized? Why?