ATP-specific succinyl-CoA synthetase functions in the citric acid cycle (TCA), coupling the hydrolysis of succinyl-CoA to the synthesis of ATP and thus represents the only step of substrate-level phosphorylation in the TCA (PubMed:15877282, PubMed:34492704, PubMed:40108300). The beta subunit provides nucleotide specificity of the enzyme and binds the substrate succinate, while the binding sites for coenzyme A and phosphate are found in the alpha subunit (By similarity). Also able to act as an ATP-specific itaconyl- and malyl- CoA synthetase (PubMed:40108300). {ECO:0000255|HAMAP-Rule:MF_03220, ECO:0000269|PubMed:15877282, ECO:0000269|PubMed:34492704, ECO:0000269|PubMed:40108300}. This is the function of Ensembl gene identifier ENSG00000136143 (SUCLA2, succinate-CoA ligase ADP-forming subunit beta).