The complexity of pathways for protein import into thylakoids: it's not easy being green

2005 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 1024-1027 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Di Cola ◽  
E. Klostermann ◽  
C. Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Thylakoid Membrane ◽  
Protein Import ◽  
Signal Recognition Particle ◽  
Integral Membrane Proteins ◽  
The Other ◽  
Signal Recognition ◽  
Transport Mechanisms ◽  
Insertion Mechanism

Numerous proteins are transported into or across the chloroplast thylakoid membrane. To date, two major pathways have been identified for the transport of luminal proteins (the Sec- and Tat-dependent pathways) and it is now clear that these protein translocases use fundamentally different transport mechanisms. Integral membrane proteins are inserted by means of at least two further pathways. One involves the input of numerous targeting factors, including SRP (signal recognition particle), FtsY and Albino3. Surprisingly, the other pathway does not involve any of the known chloroplastic targeting factors, and insertion is energy-independent, raising the possibility of an unusual ‘spontaneous’ insertion mechanism.

From bacteria to chloroplasts: evolution of the chloroplast SRP system

2017 ◽  
Vol 398 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 653-661 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominik Ziehe ◽  
Beatrix Dünschede ◽  
Danja Schünemann
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Thylakoid Membrane ◽  
Protein Transport ◽  
Higher Plants ◽  
Signal Recognition Particle ◽  
Great Majority ◽  
Signal Recognition ◽  
Transport Mechanisms ◽  
Thylakoid Membrane Proteins ◽  
Lower Plants

Abstract Chloroplasts derive from a prokaryotic symbiont that lost most of its genes during evolution. As a result, the great majority of chloroplast proteins are encoded in the nucleus and are posttranslationally imported into the organelle. The chloroplast genome encodes only a few proteins. These include several multispan thylakoid membrane proteins which are synthesized on thylakoid-bound ribosomes and cotranslationally inserted into the membrane. During evolution, ancient prokaryotic targeting machineries were adapted and combined with novel targeting mechanisms to facilitate post- and cotranslational protein transport in chloroplasts. This review focusses on the chloroplast signal recognition particle (cpSRP) protein transport system, which has been intensively studied in higher plants. The cpSRP system derived from the prokaryotic SRP pathway, which mediates the cotranslational protein transport to the bacterial plasma membrane. Chloroplasts contain homologs of several components of the bacterial SRP system. The function of these conserved components in post- and/or cotranslational protein transport and chloroplast-specific modifications of these transport mechanisms are described. Furthermore, recent studies of cpSRP systems in algae and lower plants are summarized and their impact on understanding the evolution of the cpSRP system are discussed.

scholarly journals Mechanisms of membrane protein biogenesis

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (a1) ◽  
pp. C1161-C1161
Author(s):  
Irmgard Sinning
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Signal Sequence ◽  
Signal Recognition Particle ◽  
Signal Recognition ◽  
Protein Biogenesis ◽  
Cargo Proteins ◽  
Target Membrane ◽  
Hydrophobic Nature ◽  
Correct Target ◽  
Srp Rna

More than 25% of the cellular proteome comprise membrane proteins that have to be inserted into the correct target membrane. Most membrane proteins are delivered to the membrane by the signal recognition particle (SRP) pathway which relies on the recognition of an N-terminal signal sequence. In contrast to this co-translational mechanism, which avoids problems due to the hydrophobic nature of the cargo proteins, tail-anchored (TA) membrane proteins utilize a post-translational mechanism for membrane insertion – the GET pathway (guided entry of tail-anchored membrane proteins). The SRP and GET pathways are both regulated by GTP and ATP binding proteins of the SIMIBI family. However, in the SRP pathway the SRP RNA plays a unique regulatory role. Recent insights into eukaryotic SRP will be discussed.

scholarly journals Dissecting the Translocase and Integrase Functions of the Escherichia coli Secyeg Translocon

2000 ◽  
Vol 150 (3) ◽  
pp. 689-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans-Georg Koch ◽  
Matthias Müller
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Protein Delivery ◽  
Signal Recognition Particle ◽  
Membrane Vesicles ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Secretory Proteins ◽  
Signal Recognition ◽  
Inner Membrane ◽  
Independent Protein

Recent evidence suggests that in Escherichia coli, SecA/SecB and signal recognition particle (SRP) are constituents of two different pathways targeting secretory and inner membrane proteins to the SecYEG translocon of the plasma membrane. We now show that a secY mutation, which compromises a functional SecY–SecA interaction, does not impair the SRP-mediated integration of polytopic inner membrane proteins. Furthermore, under conditions in which the translocation of secretory proteins is strictly dependent on SecG for assisting SecA, the absence of SecG still allows polytopic membrane proteins to integrate at the wild-type level. These results indicate that SRP-dependent integration and SecA/SecB-mediated translocation do not only represent two independent protein delivery systems, but also remain mechanistically distinct processes even at the level of the membrane where they engage different domains of SecY and different components of the translocon. In addition, the experimental setup used here enabled us to demonstrate that SRP-dependent integration of a multispanning protein into membrane vesicles leads to a biologically active enzyme.

scholarly journals Binding of chloroplast signal recognition particle to a thylakoid membrane protein substrate in aqueous solution and delineation of the cpSRP43–substrate interaction domain

2011 ◽  
Vol 437 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Cain ◽  
Iris Holdermann ◽  
Irmgard Sinning ◽  
Arthur E. Johnson ◽  
Colin Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Aqueous Solution ◽  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Thylakoid Membrane ◽  
Mode Of Action ◽  
Signal Recognition Particle ◽  
Cross Linking ◽  
Signal Recognition ◽  
Cross Link ◽  
Protein Substrate ◽  
Substrate Interaction

A cpSRP [chloroplast SRP (signal recognition particle)] comprising cpSRP54 and cpSRP43 subunits mediates the insertion of light-harvesting proteins into the thylakoid membrane. We dissected its interaction with a full-length membrane protein substrate in aqueous solution by insertion of site-specific photo-activatable cross-linkers into in vitro-synthesized Lhcb1 (major light-harvesting chlorophyll-binding protein of photosystem II). We show that Lhcb1 residues 166–176 cross-link specifically to the cpSRP43 subunit. Some cross-link positions within Lhcb1 are in the ‘L18’ peptide required for targeting of cpSRP substrates, whereas other cross-linking positions define a new targeting signal in the third transmembrane span. Lhcb1 was not found to cross-link to cpSRP54 at any position, and cross-linking to cpSRP43 is unaffected by the absence of cpSRP54. cpSRP43 thus effectively binds substrates autonomously, and its ability to independently bind an extended 20+-residue substrate region highlights a major difference with other SRP types where the SRP54 subunit binds to hydrophobic target sequences. The results also show that cpSRP43 can bind to a hydrophobic, three-membrane span, substrate in aqueous solution, presumably reflecting a role for cpSRP in the chloroplast stroma. This mode of action, and the specificity of the cpSRP43–substrate interaction, may be associated with cpSRP's unique post-translational mode of action.

scholarly journals Interplay between MPIase, YidC, and PMF during Sec-independent insertion of membrane proteins

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. e202101162
Author(s):  
Yuta Endo ◽  
Yuko Shimizu ◽  
Hanako Nishikawa ◽  
Katsuhiro Sawasato ◽  
Ken-ichi Nishiyama
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Molecular Basis ◽  
Terminal Region ◽  
Integral Membrane Proteins ◽  
The Other ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Model Protein

Integral membrane proteins with the N-out topology are inserted into membranes usually in YidC- and PMF-dependent manners. The molecular basis of the various dependencies on insertion factors is not fully understood. A model protein, Pf3-Lep, is inserted independently of both YidC and PMF, whereas the V15D mutant requires both YidC and PMF in vivo. We analyzed the mechanisms that determine the insertion factor dependency in vitro. Glycolipid MPIase was required for insertion of both proteins because MPIase depletion caused a significant defect in insertion. On the other hand, YidC depletion and PMF dissipation had no effects on Pf3-Lep insertion, whereas V15D insertion was reduced. We reconstituted (proteo)liposomes containing MPIase, YidC, and/or F0F1-ATPase. MPIase was essential for insertion of both proteins. YidC and PMF stimulated Pf3-Lep insertion as the synthesis level increased. V15D insertion was stimulated by both YidC and PMF irrespective of the synthesis level. These results indicate that charges in the N-terminal region and the synthesis level are the determinants of YidC and PMF dependencies with the interplay between MPIase, YidC, and PMF.

scholarly journals In Vitro Studies with Purified Components Reveal Signal Recognition Particle (SRP) and SecA/SecB as Constituents of Two Independent Protein-targeting Pathways of Escherichia coli

1999 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 2163-2173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans-Georg Koch ◽  
Thomas Hengelage ◽  
Christoph Neumann-Haefelin ◽  
Juan MacFarlane ◽  
Hedda K. Hoffschulte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Signal Recognition Particle ◽  
Membrane Vesicles ◽  
Secretory Proteins ◽  
Signal Recognition ◽  
Free System ◽  
E Coli

The molecular requirements for the translocation of secretory proteins across, and the integration of membrane proteins into, the plasma membrane of Escherichia coli were compared. This was achieved in a novel cell-free system from E. coliwhich, by extensive subfractionation, was simultaneously rendered deficient in SecA/SecB and the signal recognition particle (SRP) components, Ffh (P48), 4.5S RNA, and FtsY. The integration of two membrane proteins into inside-out plasma membrane vesicles of E. coli required all three SRP components and could not be driven by SecA, SecB, and ΔμH+. In contrast, these were the only components required for the translocation of secretory proteins into membrane vesicles, a process in which the SRP components were completely inactive. Our results, while confirming previous in vivo studies, provide the first in vitro evidence for the dependence of the integration of polytopic inner membrane proteins on SRP in E. coli. Furthermore, they suggest that SRP and SecA/SecB have different substrate specificities resulting in two separate targeting mechanisms for membrane and secretory proteins in E. coli. Both targeting pathways intersect at the translocation pore because they are equally affected by a blocked translocation channel.

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