Deciphering the catalytic machinery in a universally conserved ribosome binding ATPase YchF

► YchF is an ATPase. ► YchF binds to ribosome in a nucleotide independent manner. ► Potassium ions accelerate ATP hydrolysis activity of YchF. ► YchF is a monomeric protein irrespective of the bound nucleotide. ► Lys78 is an important determinant of the potassium dependent ATPase activity of YchF.