Sticking together for a difficult passage

Protein translocation across membranes: common themes in divergent organisms

Specific signal sequences are required for the translocation of proteins into and across both the endoplasmic reticulum of eukaryotes and the plasma membrane of prokaryotes. The similar properties of these signals, together with their ability to function when transferred between systems, suggested that the mechanisms of translocation in the two cases may be fundamentally similar. Indeed, recent findings have revealed striking similarities between essential components of the prokaryotic and eukaryotic translocation systems, suggesting that both are derived from a common ancestor.

Nascent polypeptide-associated complex protein prevents mistargeting of nascent chains to the endoplasmic reticulum

We show that, after removal of the nascent polypeptide-associated complex (NAC) from ribosome-associated nascent chains, ribosomes synthesizing proteins lacking signal peptides are efficiently targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane. After this mistargeting, translocation across the ER membrane occurs, albeit less efficiently than for a nascent secretory polypeptide, perhaps because the signal peptide is needed to catalyze the opening of the translocation pore. The mistargeting was prevented by the addition of purified NAC and was shown not to be mediated by the signal recognition particle and its receptor. Instead, it appears to be a consequence of the intrinsic affinity of ribosomes for membrane binding sites, since it can be blocked by competing ribosomes that lack associated nascent polypeptides. We propose that, when bound to a signalless ribosome-associated nascent polypeptide, NAC sterically blocks the site in the ribosome for membrane binding.

180-kD ribosome receptor is essential for both ribosome binding and protein translocation

We have previously isolated a 180-kD ribosome receptor (p180) from mammalian rough ER that, when incorporated into liposomes, bound ribosomes with an affinity similar to intact membranes. To directly assess the contribution of p180 to ribosome binding as well as protein translocation, monoclonal antibodies were used to selectively deplete p180 from the detergent extracts of rough ER membranes used in the preparation of translocation-competent proteoliposomes. Proteoliposomes prepared from p180-depleted extracts showed a reduction in ribosome binding to the level of trypsin-inactivated controls as well as a loss in their ability to cotranslationally translocate two different secretory protein precursors. When purified p180 was added back to depleted extracts before proteoliposome formation, both ribosome binding and translocation activity were restored. In addition, the monoclonal antibodies, as well as their Fab' fragments, were able to inhibit ribosome binding and protein translocation when bound to intact rough microsomes. These data provide direct evidence that the 180-kD ribosome receptor is essential for ribosome binding and for the translocation of nascent proteins across the membrane of the rough ER.