1
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Rangan R, Feathers R, Khavnekar S, Lerer A, Johnston JD, Kelley R, Obr M, Kotecha A, Zhong ED. CryoDRGN-ET: deep reconstructing generative networks for visualizing dynamic biomolecules inside cells. Nat Methods 2024:10.1038/s41592-024-02340-4. [PMID: 39025970 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-024-02340-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Advances in cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) have produced new opportunities to visualize the structures of dynamic macromolecules in native cellular environments. While cryo-ET can reveal structures at molecular resolution, image processing algorithms remain a bottleneck in resolving the heterogeneity of biomolecular structures in situ. Here, we introduce cryoDRGN-ET for heterogeneous reconstruction of cryo-ET subtomograms. CryoDRGN-ET learns a deep generative model of three-dimensional density maps directly from subtomogram tilt-series images and can capture states diverse in both composition and conformation. We validate this approach by recovering the known translational states in Mycoplasma pneumoniae ribosomes in situ. We then perform cryo-ET on cryogenic focused ion beam-milled Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. CryoDRGN-ET reveals the structural landscape of S. cerevisiae ribosomes during translation and captures continuous motions of fatty acid synthase complexes inside cells. This method is openly available in the cryoDRGN software.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramya Rangan
- Department of Computer Science, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Ryan Feathers
- Department of Computer Science, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | | | | | - Jake D Johnston
- Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York Structural Biology Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ron Kelley
- Materials and Structural Analysis Division, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Eindhoven, the Netherlands
| | - Martin Obr
- Materials and Structural Analysis Division, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Eindhoven, the Netherlands
| | - Abhay Kotecha
- Materials and Structural Analysis Division, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
| | - Ellen D Zhong
- Department of Computer Science, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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2
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Crossley JA, Allen WJ, Watkins DW, Sabir T, Radford SE, Tuma R, Collinson I, Fessl T. Dynamic coupling of fast channel gating with slow ATP-turnover underpins protein transport through the Sec translocon. EMBO J 2024; 43:1-13. [PMID: 38177311 PMCID: PMC10883268 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-023-00004-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The Sec translocon is a highly conserved membrane assembly for polypeptide transport across, or into, lipid bilayers. In bacteria, secretion through the core channel complex-SecYEG in the inner membrane-is powered by the cytosolic ATPase SecA. Here, we use single-molecule fluorescence to interrogate the conformational state of SecYEG throughout the ATP hydrolysis cycle of SecA. We show that the SecYEG channel fluctuations between open and closed states are much faster (~20-fold during translocation) than ATP turnover, and that the nucleotide status of SecA modulates the rates of opening and closure. The SecY variant PrlA4, which exhibits faster transport but unaffected ATPase rates, increases the dwell time in the open state, facilitating pre-protein diffusion through the pore and thereby enhancing translocation efficiency. Thus, rapid SecYEG channel dynamics are allosterically coupled to SecA via modulation of the energy landscape, and play an integral part in protein transport. Loose coupling of ATP-turnover by SecA to the dynamic properties of SecYEG is compatible with a Brownian-rachet mechanism of translocation, rather than strict nucleotide-dependent interconversion between different static states of a power stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel A Crossley
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, 370 05, Czech Republic
- School of Clinical and Applied Sciences, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, LS1 3HE, UK
| | - William J Allen
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1QU, UK
| | - Daniel W Watkins
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1QU, UK
| | - Tara Sabir
- School of Clinical and Applied Sciences, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, LS1 3HE, UK
| | - Sheena E Radford
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Roman Tuma
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, 370 05, Czech Republic
| | - Ian Collinson
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1QU, UK.
| | - Tomas Fessl
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, 370 05, Czech Republic.
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3
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den Uijl MJ, Driessen AJM. Phospholipid dependency of membrane protein insertion by the Sec translocon. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2024; 1866:184232. [PMID: 37734458 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2023.184232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Membrane protein insertion into and translocation across the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane are essential processes facilitated by the Sec translocon. Membrane insertion occurs co-translationally whereby the ribosome nascent chain is targeted to the translocon via signal recognition particle and its receptor FtsY. The phospholipid dependence of membrane protein insertion has remained mostly unknown. Here we assessed in vitro the dependence of the SecA independent insertion of the mannitol permease MtlA into the membrane on the main phospholipid species present in Escherichia coli. We observed that insertion depends on the presence of phosphatidylglycerol and is due to the anionic nature of the polar headgroup, while insertion is stimulated by the zwitterionic phosphatidylethanolamine. We found an optimal insertion efficiency at about 30 mol% DOPG and 50 mol% DOPE which approaches the bulk membrane phospholipid composition of E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max J den Uijl
- University of Groningen, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Arnold J M Driessen
- University of Groningen, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands.
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4
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Löwe M, Hänsch S, Hachani E, Schmitt L, Weidtkamp-Peters S, Kedrov A. Probing macromolecular crowding at the lipid membrane interface with genetically-encoded sensors. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4797. [PMID: 37779215 PMCID: PMC10578116 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Biochemical processes within the living cell occur in a highly crowded environment, where macromolecules, first of all proteins and nucleic acids, occupy up to 30% of the volume. The phenomenon of macromolecular crowding is not an exclusive feature of the cytoplasm and can be observed in the densely protein-packed, nonhomogeneous cellular membranes and at the membrane interfaces. Crowding affects diffusional and conformational dynamics of proteins within the lipid bilayer, alters kinetic and thermodynamic properties of biochemical reactions, and modulates the membrane organization. Despite its importance, the non-invasive quantification of the membrane crowding is not trivial. Here, we developed a genetically-encoded fluorescence-based sensor for probing the macromolecular crowding at the membrane interfaces. Two sensor variants, both composed of fluorescent proteins and a membrane anchor, but differing by flexible linker domains were characterized in vitro, and the procedures for the membrane reconstitution were established. Steric pressure induced by membrane-tethered synthetic and protein crowders altered the sensors' conformation, causing increase in the intramolecular Förster's resonance energy transfer. Notably, the effect of protein crowders only weakly correlated with their molecular weight, suggesting that other factors, such as shape and charge contribute to the crowding via the quinary interactions. Finally, measurements performed in inner membrane vesicles of Escherichia coli validated the crowding-dependent dynamics of the sensors in the physiologically relevant environment. The sensors offer broad opportunities to study interfacial crowding in a complex environment of native membranes, and thus add to the toolbox of methods for studying membrane dynamics and proteostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryna Löwe
- Synthetic Membrane Systems, Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sebastian Hänsch
- Center for Advanced imaging, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Eymen Hachani
- Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Lutz Schmitt
- Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | | | - Alexej Kedrov
- Synthetic Membrane Systems, Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
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5
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Gamerdinger M, Jia M, Schloemer R, Rabl L, Jaskolowski M, Khakzar KM, Ulusoy Z, Wallisch A, Jomaa A, Hunaeus G, Scaiola A, Diederichs K, Ban N, Deuerling E. NAC controls cotranslational N-terminal methionine excision in eukaryotes. Science 2023; 380:1238-1243. [PMID: 37347872 DOI: 10.1126/science.adg3297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
N-terminal methionine excision from newly synthesized proteins, catalyzed cotranslationally by methionine aminopeptidases (METAPs), is an essential and universally conserved process that plays a key role in cell homeostasis and protein biogenesis. However, how METAPs interact with ribosomes and how their cleavage specificity is ensured is unknown. We discovered that in eukaryotes the nascent polypeptide-associated complex (NAC) controls ribosome binding of METAP1. NAC recruits METAP1 using a long, flexible tail and provides a platform for the formation of an active methionine excision complex at the ribosomal tunnel exit. This mode of interaction ensures the efficient excision of methionine from cytosolic proteins, whereas proteins targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum are spared. Our results suggest a broader mechanism for how access of protein biogenesis factors to translating ribosomes is controlled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Gamerdinger
- Department of Biology, Molecular Microbiology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Min Jia
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Renate Schloemer
- Department of Biology, Molecular Microbiology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Laurenz Rabl
- Department of Biology, Molecular Microbiology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Mateusz Jaskolowski
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Katrin M Khakzar
- Department of Biology, Molecular Microbiology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Zeynel Ulusoy
- Department of Biology, Molecular Microbiology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Annalena Wallisch
- Department of Biology, Molecular Microbiology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Ahmad Jomaa
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gundula Hunaeus
- Department of Biology, Molecular Microbiology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Alain Scaiola
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Kay Diederichs
- Department of Biology, Molecular Bioinformatics, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Nenad Ban
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Elke Deuerling
- Department of Biology, Molecular Microbiology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
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6
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Itskanov S, Park E. Mechanism of Protein Translocation by the Sec61 Translocon Complex. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2023; 15:a041250. [PMID: 35940906 PMCID: PMC9808579 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a major site for protein synthesis, folding, and maturation in eukaryotic cells, responsible for production of secretory proteins and most integral membrane proteins. The universally conserved protein-conducting channel Sec61 complex mediates core steps in these processes by translocating hydrophilic polypeptide segments of client proteins across the ER membrane and integrating hydrophobic transmembrane segments into the membrane. The Sec61 complex associates with several other molecular machines and enzymes to enable substrate engagement with the channel and coordination of protein translocation with translation, protein folding, and/or post-translational modifications. Recent cryo-electron microscopy and functional studies of these translocon complexes have greatly advanced our mechanistic understanding of Sec61-dependent protein biogenesis at the ER. Here, we will review the current models for how the Sec61 channel performs its functions in coordination with partner complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Itskanov
- Biophysics Graduate Program
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences
| | - Eunyong Park
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
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7
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Miyazaki R, Ai M, Tanaka N, Suzuki T, Dhomae N, Tsukazaki T, Akiyama Y, Mori H. Inner membrane YfgM–PpiD heterodimer acts as a functional unit that associates with the SecY/E/G translocon and promotes protein translocation. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102572. [PMID: 36209828 PMCID: PMC9643414 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
PpiD and YfgM are inner membrane proteins that are both composed of an N-terminal transmembrane segment and a C-terminal periplasmic domain. Escherichia coli YfgM and PpiD form a stable complex that interacts with the SecY/E/G (Sec) translocon, a channel that allows protein translocation across the cytoplasmic membrane. Although PpiD is known to function in protein translocation, the functional significance of PpiD–YfgM complex formation as well as the molecular mechanisms of PpiD–YfgM and PpiD/YfgM–Sec translocon interactions remain unclear. Here, we conducted genetic and biochemical studies using yfgM and ppiD mutants and demonstrated that a lack of YfgM caused partial PpiD degradation at its C-terminal region and hindered the membrane translocation of Vibrio protein export monitoring polypeptide (VemP), a Vibrio secretory protein, in both E. coli and Vibrio alginolyticus. While ppiD disruption also impaired VemP translocation, we found that the yfgM and ppiD double deletion exhibited no additive or synergistic effects. Together, these results strongly suggest that both PpiD and YfgM are required for efficient VemP translocation. Furthermore, our site-directed in vivo photocrosslinking analysis revealed that the tetratricopeptide repeat domain of YfgM and a conserved structural domain (NC domain) in PpiD interact with each other and that YfgM, like PpiD, directly interacts with the SecG translocon subunit. Crosslinking analysis also suggested that PpiD–YfgM complex formation is required for these proteins to interact with SecG. In summary, we propose that PpiD and YfgM form a functional unit that stimulates protein translocation by facilitating their proper interactions with the Sec translocon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryoji Miyazaki
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Japan
| | - Mengting Ai
- Institute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Natsuko Tanaka
- Institute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takehiro Suzuki
- Biomolecular Characterization Unit, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Saitama, Japan
| | - Naoshi Dhomae
- Biomolecular Characterization Unit, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Saitama, Japan
| | - Tomoya Tsukazaki
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Akiyama
- Institute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Mori
- Institute for Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
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8
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Svirina A, Chamachi N, Schlierf M. Single‐molecule approaches reveal outer membrane protein biogenesis dynamics. Bioessays 2022; 44:e2200149. [DOI: 10.1002/bies.202200149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Svirina
- TU Dresden B CUBE – Center for Molecular Bioengineering Dresden Germany
| | - Neharika Chamachi
- TU Dresden B CUBE – Center for Molecular Bioengineering Dresden Germany
| | - Michael Schlierf
- TU Dresden B CUBE – Center for Molecular Bioengineering Dresden Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life Technische Universität Dresden Dresden Germany
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9
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Kaushik S, He H, Dalbey RE. Bacterial Signal Peptides- Navigating the Journey of Proteins. Front Physiol 2022; 13:933153. [PMID: 35957980 PMCID: PMC9360617 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.933153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In 1971, Blobel proposed the first statement of the Signal Hypothesis which suggested that proteins have amino-terminal sequences that dictate their export and localization in the cell. A cytosolic binding factor was predicted, and later the protein conducting channel was discovered that was proposed in 1975 to align with the large ribosomal tunnel. The 1975 Signal Hypothesis also predicted that proteins targeted to different intracellular membranes would possess distinct signals and integral membrane proteins contained uncleaved signal sequences which initiate translocation of the polypeptide chain. This review summarizes the central role that the signal peptides play as address codes for proteins, their decisive role as targeting factors for delivery to the membrane and their function to activate the translocation machinery for export and membrane protein insertion. After shedding light on the navigation of proteins, the importance of removal of signal peptide and their degradation are addressed. Furthermore, the emerging work on signal peptidases as novel targets for antibiotic development is described.
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10
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Couves EC, Bubeck D. Capturing pore-forming intermediates of MACPF and binary toxin assemblies by cryoEM. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2022; 75:102401. [PMID: 35700576 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2022.102401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Deployed by both pathogenic bacteria and host immune systems, pore-forming proteins rupture target membranes and can serve as conduits for effector proteins. Understanding how these proteins work relies on capturing assembly intermediates. Advances in cryoEM allowing in silico purification of heterogeneous assemblies has led to new insights into two main classes of pore-forming proteins: membrane attack complex perforin (MACPF) proteins and binary toxins. The structure of an immune activation complex, sMAC, shows how pores form by sequential templating and insertion of β-hairpins. CryoEM structures of bacterial binary toxins present a series of transitions along the pore formation pathway and reveal a general mechanism of effector protein translocation. Future developments in time-resolved cryoEM could capture and place short-lived states along the trajectory of pore-formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma C Couves
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Ernst Chain Building, London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom. https://twitter.com/@EmmaCouves
| | - Doryen Bubeck
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Ernst Chain Building, London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom.
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11
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Kondapuram M, Frieg B, Yüksel S, Schwabe T, Sattler C, Lelle M, Schweinitz A, Schmauder R, Benndorf K, Gohlke H, Kusch J. Functional and structural characterization of interactions between opposite subunits in HCN pacemaker channels. Commun Biol 2022; 5:430. [PMID: 35534535 PMCID: PMC9085832 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03360-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hyperpolarization-activated and cyclic nucleotide (HCN) modulated channels are tetrameric cation channels. In each of the four subunits, the intracellular cyclic nucleotide-binding domain (CNBD) is coupled to the transmembrane domain via a helical structure, the C-linker. High-resolution channel structures suggest that the C-linker enables functionally relevant interactions with the opposite subunit, which might be critical for coupling the conformational changes in the CNBD to the channel pore. We combined mutagenesis, patch-clamp technique, confocal patch-clamp fluorometry, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to show that residue K464 of the C-linker is relevant for stabilizing the closed state of the mHCN2 channel by forming interactions with the opposite subunit. MD simulations revealed that in the K464E channel, a rotation of the intracellular domain relative to the channel pore is induced, which is similar to the cAMP-induced rotation, weakening the autoinhibitory effect of the unoccupied CL-CNBD region. We suggest that this CL-CNBD rotation is considerably involved in activation-induced affinity increase but only indirectly involved in gate modulation. The adopted poses shown herein are in excellent agreement with previous structural results. Interactions between opposite subunits of HCN channels are relevant for stabilizing the auto-inhibited state of the channel. Like cAMP-binding, K464E-mutation breaks these interactions to favor a channel’s pre-activated state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahesh Kondapuram
- Universitätsklinikum Jena, Institut für Physiologie II, Jena, Germany
| | - Benedikt Frieg
- John von Neumann-Institut für Computing (NIC), Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC), and Institut für Biologische Informationsprozesse (IBI-7: Strukturbiochemie), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
| | - Sezin Yüksel
- Universitätsklinikum Jena, Institut für Physiologie II, Jena, Germany
| | - Tina Schwabe
- Universitätsklinikum Jena, Institut für Physiologie II, Jena, Germany
| | - Christian Sattler
- Universitätsklinikum Jena, Institut für Physiologie II, Jena, Germany
| | - Marco Lelle
- Universitätsklinikum Jena, Institut für Physiologie II, Jena, Germany
| | - Andrea Schweinitz
- Universitätsklinikum Jena, Institut für Physiologie II, Jena, Germany
| | - Ralf Schmauder
- Universitätsklinikum Jena, Institut für Physiologie II, Jena, Germany
| | - Klaus Benndorf
- Universitätsklinikum Jena, Institut für Physiologie II, Jena, Germany
| | - Holger Gohlke
- John von Neumann-Institut für Computing (NIC), Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC), and Institut für Biologische Informationsprozesse (IBI-7: Strukturbiochemie), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany. .,Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany. .,Institut für Bio- und Geowissenschaften (IBG-4: Bioinformatik), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany.
| | - Jana Kusch
- Universitätsklinikum Jena, Institut für Physiologie II, Jena, Germany.
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12
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Mercier E, Wang X, Bögeholz LAK, Wintermeyer W, Rodnina MV. Cotranslational Biogenesis of Membrane Proteins in Bacteria. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:871121. [PMID: 35573737 PMCID: PMC9099147 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.871121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Nascent polypeptides emerging from the ribosome during translation are rapidly scanned and processed by ribosome-associated protein biogenesis factors (RPBs). RPBs cleave the N-terminal formyl and methionine groups, assist cotranslational protein folding, and sort the proteins according to their cellular destination. Ribosomes translating inner-membrane proteins are recognized and targeted to the translocon with the help of the signal recognition particle, SRP, and SRP receptor, FtsY. The growing nascent peptide is then inserted into the phospholipid bilayer at the translocon, an inner-membrane protein complex consisting of SecY, SecE, and SecG. Folding of membrane proteins requires that transmembrane helices (TMs) attain their correct topology, the soluble domains are inserted at the correct (cytoplasmic or periplasmic) side of the membrane, and – for polytopic membrane proteins – the TMs find their interaction partner TMs in the phospholipid bilayer. This review describes the recent progress in understanding how growing nascent peptides are processed and how inner-membrane proteins are targeted to the translocon and find their correct orientation at the membrane, with the focus on biophysical approaches revealing the dynamics of the process. We describe how spontaneous fluctuations of the translocon allow diffusion of TMs into the phospholipid bilayer and argue that the ribosome orchestrates cotranslational targeting not only by providing the binding platform for the RPBs or the translocon, but also by helping the nascent chains to find their correct orientation in the membrane. Finally, we present the auxiliary role of YidC as a chaperone for inner-membrane proteins. We show how biophysical approaches provide new insights into the dynamics of membrane protein biogenesis and raise new questions as to how translation modulates protein folding.
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13
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Inhibition of SRP-dependent protein secretion by the bacterial alarmone (p)ppGpp. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1069. [PMID: 35217658 PMCID: PMC8881573 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28675-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The stringent response enables bacteria to respond to nutrient limitation and other stress conditions through production of the nucleotide-based second messengers ppGpp and pppGpp, collectively known as (p)ppGpp. Here, we report that (p)ppGpp inhibits the signal recognition particle (SRP)-dependent protein targeting pathway, which is essential for membrane protein biogenesis and protein secretion. More specifically, (p)ppGpp binds to the SRP GTPases Ffh and FtsY, and inhibits the formation of the SRP receptor-targeting complex, which is central for the coordinated binding of the translating ribosome to the SecYEG translocon. Cryo-EM analysis of SRP bound to translating ribosomes suggests that (p)ppGpp may induce a distinct conformational stabilization of the NG domain of Ffh and FtsY in Bacillus subtilis but not in E. coli. Bacterial responses to nutrient limitation and other stress conditions are often modulated by the nucleotide-based second messenger (p)ppGpp. Here, the authors show that (p)ppGpp inhibits the SRP membrane-protein insertion and secretion pathway by binding to GTPases Ffh and FtsY.
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14
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Harris NJ, Reading E, Booth PJ. Cell-Free Synthesis Strategies to Probe Co-translational Folding of Proteins Within Lipid Membranes. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2433:273-292. [PMID: 34985751 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1998-8_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In order to comprehend the molecular basis of transmembrane protein biogenesis, methods are required that are capable of investigating the co-translational folding of these hydrophobic proteins. Equally, in artificial cell studies, controllable methods are desirable for in situ synthesis of membrane proteins that then direct reactions in the synthetic cell membrane. Here we describe a method that exploits cell-free expression systems and tunable membrane mimetics to facilitate co-translational studies. Alteration of the lipid bilayer composition improves the efficiency of the folding system. The approach also enables membrane transport proteins to be made and inserted into artificial cell platforms such as droplet interface bilayers. Importantly, this gives a new facet to the droplet networks by enabling specific transport of molecules across the synthetic bilayer against a concentration gradient. This method also includes a protocol to pause and restart translation of membrane proteins at specified positions during their co-translational folding. This stop-start strategy provides an avenue to investigate whether the proteins fold in sequence order, or if the correct fold of N-terminal regions is reliant on the synthesis of downstream residues.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eamonn Reading
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Paula J Booth
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, London, UK.
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15
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Ackermann B, Dünschede B, Pietzenuk B, Justesen BH, Krämer U, Hofmann E, Günther Pomorski T, Schünemann D. Chloroplast Ribosomes Interact With the Insertase Alb3 in the Thylakoid Membrane. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:781857. [PMID: 35003166 PMCID: PMC8733628 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.781857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Members of the Oxa1/YidC/Alb3 protein family are involved in the insertion, folding, and assembly of membrane proteins in mitochondria, bacteria, and chloroplasts. The thylakoid membrane protein Alb3 mediates the chloroplast signal recognition particle (cpSRP)-dependent posttranslational insertion of nuclear-encoded light harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding proteins and participates in the biogenesis of plastid-encoded subunits of the photosynthetic complexes. These subunits are cotranslationally inserted into the thylakoid membrane, yet very little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying docking of the ribosome-nascent chain complexes to the chloroplast SecY/Alb3 insertion machinery. Here, we show that nanodisc-embedded Alb3 interacts with ribosomes, while the homolog Alb4, also located in the thylakoid membrane, shows no ribosome binding. Alb3 contacts the ribosome with its C-terminal region and at least one additional binding site within its hydrophobic core region. Within the C-terminal region, two conserved motifs (motifs III and IV) are cooperatively required to enable the ribosome contact. Furthermore, our data suggest that the negatively charged C-terminus of the ribosomal subunit uL4c is involved in Alb3 binding. Phylogenetic analyses of uL4 demonstrate that this region newly evolved in the green lineage during the transition from aquatic to terrestrial life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernd Ackermann
- Molecular Biology of Plant Organelles, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Beatrix Dünschede
- Molecular Biology of Plant Organelles, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Björn Pietzenuk
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Physiology of Plants, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Bo Højen Justesen
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Ute Krämer
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Physiology of Plants, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Eckhard Hofmann
- Protein Crystallography, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Thomas Günther Pomorski
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Danja Schünemann
- Molecular Biology of Plant Organelles, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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16
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Lyu Z, Genereux JC. Methodologies for Measuring Protein Trafficking across Cellular Membranes. Chempluschem 2021; 86:1397-1415. [PMID: 34636167 DOI: 10.1002/cplu.202100304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Nearly all proteins are synthesized in the cytosol. The majority of this proteome must be trafficked elsewhere, such as to membranes, to subcellular compartments, or outside of the cell. Proper trafficking of nascent protein is necessary for protein folding, maturation, quality control and cellular and organismal health. To better understand cellular biology, molecular and chemical technologies to properly characterize protein trafficking (and mistrafficking) have been developed and applied. Herein, we take a biochemical perspective to review technologies that enable spatial and temporal measurement of protein distribution, focusing on both the most widely adopted methodologies and exciting emerging approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqi Lyu
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, 501 Big Springs Road, 92521, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Joseph C Genereux
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, 501 Big Springs Road, 92521, Riverside, CA, USA
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17
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Kamel M, Löwe M, Schott-Verdugo S, Gohlke H, Kedrov A. Unsaturated fatty acids augment protein transport via the SecA:SecYEG translocon. FEBS J 2021; 289:140-162. [PMID: 34312977 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The translocon SecYEG and the associated ATPase SecA form the primary protein secretion system in the cytoplasmic membrane of bacteria. The secretion is essentially dependent on the surrounding lipids, but the mechanistic understanding of their role in SecA : SecYEG activity is sparse. Here, we reveal that the unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) of the membrane phospholipids, including tetraoleoyl-cardiolipin, stimulate SecA : SecYEG-mediated protein translocation up to ten-fold. Biophysical analysis and molecular dynamics simulations show that UFAs increase the area per lipid and cause loose packing of lipid head groups, where the N-terminal amphipathic helix of SecA docks. While UFAs do not affect the translocon folding, they promote SecA binding to the membrane, and the effect is enhanced up to fivefold at elevated ionic strength. Tight SecA : lipid interactions convert into the augmented translocation. Our results identify the fatty acid structure as a notable factor in SecA : SecYEG activity, which may be crucial for protein secretion in bacteria, which actively change their membrane composition in response to their habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Kamel
- Synthetic Membrane Systems, Institute for Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Maryna Löwe
- Synthetic Membrane Systems, Institute for Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Stephan Schott-Verdugo
- Institute for Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany.,John von Neumann Institute for Computing (NIC), Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC), Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Bioinformatics), and Institute of Bio- and Geosciences (IBG-4: Bioinformatics), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Germany
| | - Holger Gohlke
- Institute for Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany.,John von Neumann Institute for Computing (NIC), Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC), Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Bioinformatics), and Institute of Bio- and Geosciences (IBG-4: Bioinformatics), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Germany
| | - Alexej Kedrov
- Synthetic Membrane Systems, Institute for Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
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18
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Davis MM, Lamichhane R, Bruce BD. Elucidating Protein Translocon Dynamics with Single-Molecule Precision. Trends Cell Biol 2021; 31:569-583. [PMID: 33865650 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2021.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline M Davis
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Rajan Lamichhane
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Barry D Bruce
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; Graduate Program in Genome Science and Technology, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
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19
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Lateral gate dynamics of the bacterial translocon during cotranslational membrane protein insertion. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2100474118. [PMID: 34162707 PMCID: PMC8256087 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2100474118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Membrane proteins are inserted into the phospholipid bilayer through a lateral gate in the translocon, SecYEG in bacteria, which is expected to be closed in the resting state. Here, we use single-molecule FRET to study the translocon dynamics on timescales ranging from submilliseconds to seconds. We show that the lateral gate is highly dynamic, fluctuating through a continuum of states from open to closed. The insertase YidC facilitates the insertion of transmembrane helices by shifting the fluctuations toward more open conformations. Spontaneous fluctuations allow the gate to rapidly release newly synthesized transmembrane segments into the phospholipid bilayer during ongoing translation. The results highlight the important role of rapid spontaneous fluctuations during the key step in the biogenesis of inner-membrane proteins. During synthesis of membrane proteins, transmembrane segments (TMs) of nascent proteins emerging from the ribosome are inserted into the central pore of the translocon (SecYEG in bacteria) and access the phospholipid bilayer through the open lateral gate formed of two helices of SecY. Here we use single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer to monitor lateral-gate fluctuations in SecYEG embedded in nanodiscs containing native membrane phospholipids. We find the lateral gate to be highly dynamic, sampling the whole range of conformations between open and closed even in the absence of ligands, and we suggest a statistical model-free approach to evaluate the ensemble dynamics. Lateral gate fluctuations take place on both short (submillisecond) and long (subsecond) timescales. Ribosome binding and TM insertion do not halt fluctuations but tend to increase sampling of the open state. When YidC, a constituent of the holotranslocon, is bound to SecYEG, TM insertion facilitates substantial opening of the gate, which may aid in the folding of YidC-dependent polytopic membrane proteins. Mutations in lateral gate residues showing in vivo phenotypes change the range of favored states, underscoring the biological significance of lateral gate fluctuations. The results suggest how rapid fluctuations of the lateral gate contribute to the biogenesis of inner-membrane proteins.
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20
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Oswald J, Njenga R, Natriashvili A, Sarmah P, Koch HG. The Dynamic SecYEG Translocon. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:664241. [PMID: 33937339 PMCID: PMC8082313 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.664241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The spatial and temporal coordination of protein transport is an essential cornerstone of the bacterial adaptation to different environmental conditions. By adjusting the protein composition of extra-cytosolic compartments, like the inner and outer membranes or the periplasmic space, protein transport mechanisms help shaping protein homeostasis in response to various metabolic cues. The universally conserved SecYEG translocon acts at the center of bacterial protein transport and mediates the translocation of newly synthesized proteins into and across the cytoplasmic membrane. The ability of the SecYEG translocon to transport an enormous variety of different substrates is in part determined by its ability to interact with multiple targeting factors, chaperones and accessory proteins. These interactions are crucial for the assisted passage of newly synthesized proteins from the cytosol into the different bacterial compartments. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about SecYEG-mediated protein transport, primarily in the model organism Escherichia coli, and describe the dynamic interaction of the SecYEG translocon with its multiple partner proteins. We furthermore highlight how protein transport is regulated and explore recent developments in using the SecYEG translocon as an antimicrobial target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Oswald
- Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zentrum für Biochemie und Molekulare Medizin (ZMBZ), Faculty of Medicine, Albert Ludwigs Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Robert Njenga
- Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zentrum für Biochemie und Molekulare Medizin (ZMBZ), Faculty of Medicine, Albert Ludwigs Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, Albert Ludwigs Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ana Natriashvili
- Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zentrum für Biochemie und Molekulare Medizin (ZMBZ), Faculty of Medicine, Albert Ludwigs Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, Albert Ludwigs Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Pinku Sarmah
- Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zentrum für Biochemie und Molekulare Medizin (ZMBZ), Faculty of Medicine, Albert Ludwigs Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, Albert Ludwigs Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Hans-Georg Koch
- Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zentrum für Biochemie und Molekulare Medizin (ZMBZ), Faculty of Medicine, Albert Ludwigs Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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21
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Amphipathic environments for determining the structure of membrane proteins by single-particle electron cryo-microscopy. Q Rev Biophys 2021; 54:e6. [PMID: 33785082 DOI: 10.1017/s0033583521000044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decade, the structural biology of membrane proteins (MPs) has taken a new turn thanks to epoch-making technical progress in single-particle electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) as well as to improvements in sample preparation. The present analysis provides an overview of the extent and modes of usage of the various types of surfactants for cryo-EM studies. Digitonin, dodecylmaltoside, protein-based nanodiscs, lauryl maltoside-neopentyl glycol, glyco-diosgenin, and amphipols (APols) are the most popular surfactants at the vitrification step. Surfactant exchange is frequently used between MP purification and grid preparation, requiring extensive optimization each time the study of a new MP is undertaken. The variety of both the surfactants and experimental approaches used over the past few years bears witness to the need to continue developing innovative surfactants and optimizing conditions for sample preparation. The possibilities offered by novel APols for EM applications are discussed.
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22
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Nicolaus F, Metola A, Mermans D, Liljenström A, Krč A, Abdullahi SM, Zimmer M, Miller Iii TF, von Heijne G. Residue-by-residue analysis of cotranslational membrane protein integration in vivo. eLife 2021; 10:64302. [PMID: 33554862 PMCID: PMC7886326 DOI: 10.7554/elife.64302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We follow the cotranslational biosynthesis of three multispanning Escherichia coli inner membrane proteins in vivo using high-resolution force profile analysis. The force profiles show that the nascent chain is subjected to rapidly varying pulling forces during translation and reveal unexpected complexities in the membrane integration process. We find that an N-terminal cytoplasmic domain can fold in the ribosome exit tunnel before membrane integration starts, that charged residues and membrane-interacting segments such as re-entrant loops and surface helices flanking a transmembrane helix (TMH) can advance or delay membrane integration, and that point mutations in an upstream TMH can affect the pulling forces generated by downstream TMHs in a highly position-dependent manner, suggestive of residue-specific interactions between TMHs during the integration process. Our results support the 'sliding' model of translocon-mediated membrane protein integration, in which hydrophobic segments are continually exposed to the lipid bilayer during their passage through the SecYEG translocon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Nicolaus
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ane Metola
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Daphne Mermans
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Amanda Liljenström
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ajda Krč
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Matthew Zimmer
- California Institute of Technology, Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Pasadena, United States
| | - Thomas F Miller Iii
- California Institute of Technology, Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Pasadena, United States
| | - Gunnar von Heijne
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Science for Life Laboratory Stockholm University, Solna, Sweden
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23
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Itskanov S, Kuo KM, Gumbart JC, Park E. Stepwise gating of the Sec61 protein-conducting channel by Sec63 and Sec62. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2021; 28:162-172. [PMID: 33398175 PMCID: PMC8236211 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-020-00541-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Many proteins are transported into the endoplasmic reticulum by the universally conserved Sec61 channel. Post-translational transport requires two additional proteins, Sec62 and Sec63, but their functions are poorly defined. Here, we determined cryo-EM structures of several variants of Sec61–Sec62–Sec63 complexes from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Thermomyces lanuginosus and show that Sec62 and Sec63 induce opening of the Sec61 channel. Without Sec62, the translocation pore of Sec61 remains closed by the plug domain, rendering the channel inactive. We further show that the lateral gate of Sec61 must first be partially opened by interactions between Sec61 and Sec63 in cytosolic and lumenal domains, a simultaneous disruption of which completely closes the channel. The structures and molecular dynamics simulations suggest that Sec62 may also prevent lipids from invading the channel through the open lateral gate. Our study shows how Sec63 and Sec62 work together in a hierarchical manner to activate Sec61 for post-translational protein translocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Itskanov
- Biophysics Graduate Program, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Katie M Kuo
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - James C Gumbart
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.,School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Eunyong Park
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. .,California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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24
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Weng TH, Steinchen W, Beatrix B, Berninghausen O, Becker T, Bange G, Cheng J, Beckmann R. Architecture of the active post-translational Sec translocon. EMBO J 2020; 40:e105643. [PMID: 33305433 PMCID: PMC7849165 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2020105643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
In eukaryotes, most secretory and membrane proteins are targeted by an N‐terminal signal sequence to the endoplasmic reticulum, where the trimeric Sec61 complex serves as protein‐conducting channel (PCC). In the post‐translational mode, fully synthesized proteins are recognized by a specialized channel additionally containing the Sec62, Sec63, Sec71, and Sec72 subunits. Recent structures of this Sec complex in the idle state revealed the overall architecture in a pre‐opened state. Here, we present a cryo‐EM structure of the yeast Sec complex bound to a substrate, and a crystal structure of the Sec62 cytosolic domain. The signal sequence is inserted into the lateral gate of Sec61α similar to previous structures, yet, with the gate adopting an even more open conformation. The signal sequence is flanked by two Sec62 transmembrane helices, the cytoplasmic N‐terminal domain of Sec62 is more rigidly positioned, and the plug domain is relocated. We crystallized the Sec62 domain and mapped its interaction with the C‐terminus of Sec63. Together, we obtained a near‐complete and integrated model of the active Sec complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsai-Hsuan Weng
- Gene Center Munich, Department of Biochemistry, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Wieland Steinchen
- Department of Chemistry, SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Birgitta Beatrix
- Gene Center Munich, Department of Biochemistry, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Otto Berninghausen
- Gene Center Munich, Department of Biochemistry, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Becker
- Gene Center Munich, Department of Biochemistry, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Gert Bange
- Department of Chemistry, SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Jingdong Cheng
- Gene Center Munich, Department of Biochemistry, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Roland Beckmann
- Gene Center Munich, Department of Biochemistry, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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25
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Koch S, Seinen AB, Kamel M, Kuckla D, Monzel C, Kedrov A, Driessen AJM. Single-molecule analysis of dynamics and interactions of the SecYEG translocon. FEBS J 2020; 288:2203-2221. [PMID: 33058437 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Protein translocation and insertion into the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane are the essential processes mediated by the Sec machinery. The core machinery is composed of the membrane-embedded translocon SecYEG that interacts with the secretion-dedicated ATPase SecA and translating ribosomes. Despite the simplicity and the available structural insights on the system, diverse molecular mechanisms and functional dynamics have been proposed. Here, we employ total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to study the oligomeric state and diffusion of SecYEG translocons in supported lipid bilayers at the single-molecule level. Silane-based coating ensured the mobility of lipids and reconstituted translocons within the bilayer. Brightness analysis suggested that approx. 70% of the translocons were monomeric. The translocons remained in a monomeric form upon ribosome binding, but partial oligomerization occurred in the presence of nucleotide-free SecA. Individual trajectories of SecYEG in the lipid bilayer revealed dynamic heterogeneity of diffusion, as translocons commonly switched between slow and fast mobility modes with corresponding diffusion coefficients of 0.03 and 0.7 µm2 ·s-1 . Interactions with SecA ATPase had a minor effect on the lateral mobility, while bound ribosome:nascent chain complexes substantially hindered the diffusion of single translocons. Notably, the mobility of the translocon:ribosome complexes was not affected by the solvent viscosity or macromolecular crowding modulated by Ficoll PM 70, so it was largely determined by interactions within the lipid bilayer and at the interface. We suggest that the complex mobility of SecYEG arises from the conformational dynamics of the translocon and protein:lipid interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Koch
- Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Anne-Bart Seinen
- Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.,Biophysics, AMOLF, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michael Kamel
- Synthetic Membrane Systems, Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Daniel Kuckla
- Experimental Medical Physics, Department of Physics, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Cornelia Monzel
- Experimental Medical Physics, Department of Physics, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Alexej Kedrov
- Synthetic Membrane Systems, Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Arnold J M Driessen
- Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
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26
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Pellowe G, Findlay HE, Lee K, Gemeinhardt TM, Blackholly LR, Reading E, Booth PJ. Capturing Membrane Protein Ribosome Nascent Chain Complexes in a Native-like Environment for Co-translational Studies. Biochemistry 2020; 59:2764-2775. [PMID: 32627541 PMCID: PMC7551657 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Co-translational folding studies of membrane proteins lag behind cytosolic protein investigations largely due to the technical difficulty in maintaining membrane lipid environments for correct protein folding. Stalled ribosome-bound nascent chain complexes (RNCs) can give snapshots of a nascent protein chain as it emerges from the ribosome during biosynthesis. Here, we demonstrate how SecM-facilitated nascent chain stalling and native nanodisc technologies can be exploited to capture in vivo-generated membrane protein RNCs within their native lipid compositions. We reveal that a polytopic membrane protein can be successfully stalled at various stages during its synthesis and the resulting RNC extracted within either detergent micelles or diisobutylene-maleic acid co-polymer native nanodiscs. Our approaches offer tractable solutions for the structural and biophysical interrogation of nascent membrane proteins of specified lengths, as the elongating nascent chain emerges from the ribosome and inserts into its native lipid milieu.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant
A. Pellowe
- King’s College London, Department of Chemistry, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, U.K.
| | - Heather E. Findlay
- King’s College London, Department of Chemistry, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, U.K.
| | - Karen Lee
- King’s College London, Department of Chemistry, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, U.K.
| | - Tim M. Gemeinhardt
- King’s College London, Department of Chemistry, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, U.K.
| | - Laura R. Blackholly
- King’s College London, Department of Chemistry, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, U.K.
| | - Eamonn Reading
- King’s College London, Department of Chemistry, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, U.K.
| | - Paula J. Booth
- King’s College London, Department of Chemistry, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, U.K.
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Mercier E, Wintermeyer W, Rodnina MV. Co-translational insertion and topogenesis of bacterial membrane proteins monitored in real time. EMBO J 2020; 39:e104054. [PMID: 32311161 PMCID: PMC7396858 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2019104054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Integral membrane proteins insert into the bacterial inner membrane co‐translationally via the translocon. Transmembrane (TM) segments of nascent proteins adopt their native topological arrangement with the N‐terminus of the first TM (TM1) oriented to the outside (type I) or the inside (type II) of the cell. Here, we study TM1 topogenesis during ongoing translation in a bacterial in vitro system, applying real‐time FRET and protease protection assays. We find that TM1 of the type I protein LepB reaches the translocon immediately upon emerging from the ribosome. In contrast, the type II protein EmrD requires a longer nascent chain before TM1 reaches the translocon and adopts its topology by looping inside the ribosomal peptide exit tunnel. Looping presumably is mediated by interactions between positive charges at the N‐terminus of TM1 and negative charges in the tunnel wall. Early TM1 inversion is abrogated by charge reversal at the N‐terminus. Kinetic analysis also shows that co‐translational membrane insertion of TM1 is intrinsically rapid and rate‐limited by translation. Thus, the ribosome has an important role in membrane protein topogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan Mercier
- Department of Physical Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wintermeyer
- Department of Physical Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Marina V Rodnina
- Department of Physical Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
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Akbar S, Mozumder S, Sengupta J. Retrospect and Prospect of Single Particle Cryo-Electron Microscopy: The Class of Integral Membrane Proteins as an Example. J Chem Inf Model 2020; 60:2448-2457. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.9b01015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shirin Akbar
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4, Raja S.C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Sukanya Mozumder
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4, Raja S.C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Jayati Sengupta
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4, Raja S.C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
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Ito K, Shimokawa-Chiba N, Chiba S. Sec translocon has an insertase-like function in addition to polypeptide conduction through the channel. F1000Res 2020; 8. [PMID: 32025287 PMCID: PMC6971846 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.21065.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The Sec translocon provides a polypeptide-conducting channel, which is insulated from the hydrophobic lipidic environment of the membrane, for translocation of hydrophilic passenger polypeptides. Its lateral gate allows a downstream hydrophobic segment (stop-transfer sequence) to exit the channel laterally for integration into the lipid phase. We note that this channel model only partly accounts for the translocon function. The other essential role of translocon is to facilitate de novo insertion of the N-terminal topogenic segment of a substrate polypeptide into the membrane. Recent structural studies suggest that de novo insertion does not use the polypeptide-conducting channel; instead, it takes place directly at the lateral gate, which is prone to opening. We propose that the de novo insertion process, in concept, is similar to that of insertases (such as YidC in bacteria and EMC3 in eukaryotes), in which an intramembrane surface of the machinery provides the halfway point of insertion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koreaki Ito
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Institute for Protein Dynamics, Kyoto Sangyo University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Naomi Shimokawa-Chiba
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Institute for Protein Dynamics, Kyoto Sangyo University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shinobu Chiba
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Institute for Protein Dynamics, Kyoto Sangyo University, Kyoto, Japan
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Abstract
The cytoplasm is the main place for protein translation from where nascent proteins are transported to their working areas, including the inside, outside, and membrane of the cell. The majority of newly synthesized membrane proteins is co-translationally inserted into the membrane by the evolutionary conserved Sec translocon. In this issue of EMBO Reports, Kater et al [1] use single-particle cryo-electron microscopy to visualize a high-resolution structure of the E. coli SecYEG translocon:ribosome-nascent chain complex in a lipid environment constituted by nanodiscs. This snapshot represents an early intermediate state in membrane protein insertion and provides important information for understanding the molecular mechanism of membrane protein biogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiki Tanaka
- Nara Institute of Science and TechnologyIkoma, NaraJapan
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