The properties of the soluble moiety (F,) of the mitochondrial H'-ATPase from oat roots were examined and compared to those of the native mitochondrial membrane-bound enzyme. The chloroform soluble preparation was purified by Sephadex G-200 and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The purified F, preparation contained major polypeptides corresponding to a, ,, -y, 6, and e of apparent molecular mass 58, 55, 35, 22, and 14 kilodaltons, respectively. The purified F,-ATPase, like the native enzyme, was inhibited by azide (Iso = 10 micromolar), nitrate (Iso = 7-10 millimolar), 4,4'-diisothiocyano-2,2'-stilbene disulfonic acid (Is, = 1-3 micromolar), and 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (Ino = 3 micromolar). F,-ATPase activity was stimulated by bicarbonate but not by chloride. In both the native and the F,-form of the ATPase, ATP was hydrolyzed in preference to GTP. The results indicate that these properties of the native membrane-bound mitochondrial ATPase have been conserved in the purified Fl.