Block C Lecture 1 - Introduction to Protein Sorting and the Secretory Pathway Flashcards
What does cell maintenance and growth require?
New protein and lipid synthesis, as well as the ability to target these to their correct membrane component (wherever their function is required)
(Slides 4 and 5)
What is cell maintenance, growth and the uptake / secretion of molecules mediated by?
Via “membrane traffic” or “vesicle transport”
(Slide 4)
What are the 5 locations which the secretory pathway mediates protein sorting to?
The cell exterior (secreted proteins)
Plasma membrane
Lysosomes
Golgi
Endoplasmic reticulum
(Slide 6)
What are the 4 basic steps of the secretory pathway?
- Protein is imported into ER
- ER to Golgi apparatus vehicle transport
- Intra Golgi transport
- Vesicle transport to either the plasma membrane or the lysosomes
(Slide 7)
What are the 2 key steps of vesicle transport and what is each of these steps mediated by?
The vesicle buds from a “donor” membrane compartment e.g ER. Vesicle budding is mediated by coat proteins.
The bud is then accepted by an “acceptor” membrane compartment e.g Golgi. To do this the vesicle needs to fuse to the compartment. This is mediated by SNARE proteins
(Slide 8)
What do coat proteins recruit?
“Cargo” proteins
(Slide 9)
What are the functions of vesicles mediated by the COPI, COPII and clathrin coat protein complexes?
COPI Vesicles function in retrograde movement from the Golgi to the ER
COPII vehicles move proteins from the ER to the Golgi
Clathrin-coated vesicles function in endocytosis
(Slide 9)
Why is the retrograde movement of proteins from the Golgi to the ER via vesicles mediated by COPI coat proteins important?
For ER retainment of some proteins
(Slide 9)
What are the 2 type of SNARE proteins which mediate vesicle fusion with the acceptor membrane compartment, and what are 2 other proteins involved?
vehicle SNAREs (VSNAREs)
SNARE proteins present on thee target membrane (known as tSNAREs)
Also involved:
Tethering proteins and Rab proteins
(Slide 10)
What is protein translocation across the ER membrane mediated by?
Signal sequences
(Slide 12)
Protein translocation into the ER occurs co-translationally. What does this mean?
It means it occurs as the protein is still being synthesised
(Slide 13)
What are the steps of protein translocation into the ER?
- A “signal sequence” is recognised by Signal Recognition Particle (SRP)
- SRP halts protein translation and takes the ribosome to the ER
- The signal sequence then inserts into a translocation channel on the ER membrane and protein synthesis resumes
- As the protein is synthesised, it gets threaded through a channel into the ER
- When synthesis is complete, the signal sequence is cleaved from the protein
(Slide 13)
Where are signal sequences (signal peptides) present on a protein and what do they contain?
They are present on the N-terminus and contain a stretch of hydrophobic amino acids (usually 9-12 hydrophobic residues)
(Slide 14)
What are hydrophobic stop-transfer signals used for?
To target the ER
(Slide 15)
What happens when a protein with a hydrophobic stop-transfer signal interact with the ER?
They interact with the translocation channel, causing a conformational change in the channel, and discharging the protein laterally (forwards) into the membrane, with the stop-transfer signal becoming a trans-membrane domain
(Slide 15)
What protein topology (orientation) do cleavable signal peptides always give rise to?
The N-terminus residing inside the ER
(Slide 15)
How does the topology of proteins with start-transfer sequences determined by charge?
If there are more positively-charged amino acids preceding then following the hydrophobic core of the start-transfer sequence then the N-terminus resides in the cytoplasm
If there are less then the C-terminus resides in the cytoplasm
(Slide 16)
What is the difference between a start-transfer and a stop-transfer sequence?
A start-transfer sequence initiates insertion into the ER membrane and/or translocation into the ER lumen whereas a stop-transfer sequence halts translocation into the ER lumen and anchors the protein in the membrane
(Slides 15 and 16)
Do all proteins that have a start-transfer sequence have a stop-transfer sequence and vice-versa?
No, a protein can have either one of these, or both
(Slides 15 and 16)
What is a polytopic protein?
A protein which crosses the membrane multiple times
(Slide 17)
How do polytopic proteins use multiple start and stop-transfer sequences to be threaded through the ER membrane multiple times?
The first start and stop transfer sequences essentially result in 1 end (N-terminus) being in the cytoplasm. Then repeating start and stop transfer sequences start and halt translocation, and inserts another transmembrane domain.
(Slide 18)
What is the role of chaperone proteins in the ER?
They bind to unfolded translocated proteins and assist in their correct folding
(Slide 20)
What does the chaperone BiP (Binding protein) do specifically?
It binds to exposed hydrophobic regions of proteins, preventing aggregation and allowing proteins to fold correctly, and also prevents translocated polypeptides from moving from the ER back into the cytosol
(Slide 20)
When does protein glycosylation begin?
When the protein is embedded into the ER lumen
(Slide 21)