CHEMIOSMOTIC CONCEPT OF THE MEMBRANE BIOENERGETICS - WHAT IS ALREADY CLEAR AND WHAT IS STILL WAITING FOR ELUCIDATION

The present state of the chemiosmotic concept is reviewed. Special att ention is paid to (i) further progress in studies on the Na+-coupled e nergetics and (ii) paradoxical bioenergetic effects when protonic or s odium potentials are utilized outside the coupling membrane (TonB-medi ated uphill transports across the outer bacterial membrane). A hypothe sis is put forward assuming that the same principle is employed in the bacterial flagellar motor.