Nano-scale characterization of the dynamics of the chloroplast Toc translocon

Elucidating Protein Translocon Dynamics with Single-Molecule Precision

Translocons are protein assemblies that facilitate the targeting and transport of proteins into and across biological membranes. Our understanding of these systems has been advanced using genetics, biochemistry, and structural biology. Despite these classic advances, until recently we have still largely lacked a detailed understanding of how translocons recognize and facilitate protein translocation. With the advent and improvements of cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) single-particle analysis and single-molecule fluorescence microscopy, the details of how translocons function are finally emerging. Here, we introduce these methods and evaluate their importance in understanding translocon structure, function, and dynamics.

Functional Analysis of Semi-conserved Transit Peptide Motifs and Mechanistic Implications in Precursor Targeting and Recognition

Over 95% of plastid proteins are nuclear-encoded as their precursors containing an N-terminal extension known as the transit peptide (TP). Although highly variable, TPs direct the precursors through a conserved, posttranslational mechanism involving translocons in the outer (TOC) and inner envelope (TOC). The organelle import specificity is mediated by one or more components of the Toc complex. However, the high TP diversity creates a paradox on how the sequences can be specifically recognized. An emerging model of TP design is that they contain multiple loosely conserved motifs that are recognized at different steps in the targeting and transport process. Bioinformatics has demonstrated that many TPs contain semi-conserved physicochemical motifs, termed FGLK. In order to characterize FGLK motifs in TP recognition and import, we have analyzed two well-studied TPs from the precursor of RuBisCO small subunit (SStp) and ferredoxin (Fdtp). Both SStp and Fdtp contain two FGLK motifs. Analysis of large set mutations (∼85) in these two motifs using in vitro, in organello, and in vivo approaches support a model in which the FGLK domains mediate interaction with TOC34 and possibly other TOC components. In vivo import analysis suggests that multiple FGLK motifs are functionally redundant. Furthermore, we discuss how FGLK motifs are required for efficient precursor protein import and how these elements may permit a convergent function of this highly variable class of targeting sequences.

Non-native, N-terminal Hsp70 molecular motor recognition elements in transit peptides support plastid protein translocation

Previously, we identified the N-terminal domain of transit peptides (TPs) as a major determinant for the translocation step in plastid protein import. Analysis of Arabidopsis TP dataset revealed that this domain has two overlapping characteristics, highly uncharged and Hsp70-interacting. To investigate these two properties, we replaced the N-terminal domains of the TP of the small subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase and its reverse peptide with a series of unrelated peptides whose affinities to the chloroplast stromal Hsp70 have been determined. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that eight out of nine peptides in this series are not similar to the TP N terminus. Using in vivo and in vitro protein import assays, the majority of the precursors containing Hsp70-binding elements were targeted to plastids, whereas none of the chimeric precursors lacking an N-terminal Hsp70-binding element were targeted to the plastids. Moreover, a pulse-chase assay showed that two chimeric precursors with the most uncharged peptides failed to translocate into the stroma. The ability of multiple unrelated Hsp70-binding elements to support protein import verified that the majority of TPs utilize an N-terminal Hsp70-binding domain during translocation and expand the mechanistic view of the import process. This work also indicates that synthetic biology may be utilized to create de novo TPs that exceed the targeting activity of naturally occurring sequences.