Organelles And Protein Sorting Flashcards
What makes up the volume of a cell?
Half cytosol, half membrane
Where is the mostmembrane found in the cell?
The ER, so whatever cells have more ER ( to synthesize proteins) have more membrane
-the plasma membrane only makes up small fraction of
What are the steps in the evolution of Eukaryotes? (Endosymbiotic theory)
1.) loss of rigid cell wall in ancient anaerobic archon caused horizontal gene transfers to come into existence.
2.) ivagi of other prokaryote occur, speeding, evolutionary processes.
2.) membranes, increasingly enclosed the chromosome of anaerobic arc help protect it.
4.) development of multiple mitochondria provides energy for the evolution of additional systems and much larger cells
What is the Nucleolus?
Condensed region in the cell where ribosomes are formed (inside the nucleus)
Peroxisomes?
Metabolize waste in the cytoplasm of the cell
Endoplasmic reticulum (rough and smooth portions)
Rough: associated with ribosomes, externally. Makes secretary and membrane proteins
Smooth : makes lipids, lack of external ribosomes
Microtubules?
Form the mitotic spindle and maintain cell shape
Centrosome?
Microtubule-organizing center
Intermediate filaments?
Fibrous proteins that hold organelles in place
Lysosome?
Digest cellular food
Golgi apparatus?
Modifies proteins
The first eukaryotic cells were ….?
Aerobic
What did eukaryotic cells evolve from?
Anaerobic archaeon, which joined forces with aerobic bacteria
What does it mean if two compartments are topologically equivalent?
You do not need to go through a membrane to get from one department to the other, you can go through “pores”
-Identical environments
What parts of the cell are topologically, equivalent, and shown as “gray”?
The nucleus and the cytoplasm
What compartments in the cell are topologically, equivalent, and shown as “pink”?
The ER, the Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, endosomes, lysosomes, secretory vessels, nuclear envelope
What is special about the lumen of many organelles?
It is topologically equivalent with the extra cellular space
What is vesicular transport?
When a molecule is transported as a vesicle, it has a protective bubble which fuses to a membrane and goes through the membrane in that bubble
-doesn’t need to pass through a membrane because going from pink to pink, instead is transported through it in a safety bubble (which keeps inside continents safe from external environment )
What is transmembrane transport/protein translocation?
A unidirectional method of transport from the cytosol to either: the mitochondria, the endoplasmic reticulum, peroxisomes.
-Goes between two topologically different organelles, so needs to pass through a membrane.
Where does vesicular transport occur?
From the Golgi to out of the cell
What is gated transport?
Only occurs between the cytosol and the nucleus, goes through pores because both are topologically equivalent
What are the three main transportation systems to move proteins in the cell?
Gated transport, transmembrane transport, vesicular transport
What occurs during vesicular transport?
-Donor compartment causes a vesicle to “bud off”, to carry cargo.
-Maintains polarity inside outside stays outside.
-Surrounded by a membrane (outer leaflet and inner leaflet)
-cargo fuses to the target compartment (contents unchanged)
-The membrane of the vesicle becomes the membrane of the target
What are the six signal sequences that direct protein traffic?
1: no signal= cytoplasm (default)
2: nuclear localization signal (NLS)
3: nuclear export signal (NES)
4: import into ER
5: retention into ER
6: import into mitochondria
What is the nuclear localization signal (NLS)?
-can be anywhere in the protein
-Signified by positively charged amino acids (specifically lysine and arginine) (K and R)
-Protein is made cytoplasm. The signal is made/read, protein is then sent to nucleus.
What is the nuclear export signal (NES)?
-can be anywhere on the protein
-Follows a 3,2,1Lucine pattern
(L-X-X-X-L-X-X-L-X-L) (X= any amino acid)
-Goes to nucleus does job and leaves (lots of back-and-forth)
What is the import into ER signal?
-found on the N-terminal
-Signified by 5 to 10 hydrophobic amino acids (can be any)
What is the retention into ER signal?
-Found on the C- terminal
- signified with KDEL (LYS-ASP-GLU-LEU) chain
-Not sufficient in itself, will keep protein in the ER, but must also have import sequence to get to ER or otherwise useless
What is the import into mitochondria signal?
-found on the N-terminal
-Alternating positive and hydrophobic amino acids
What happens if just one amino acid is mutated on the NLS?
It will disrupt nuclear localization, will not work in protein will stay in the cytosol
What is special about the endoplasmic reticulum membrane?
It is continuous with the nuclear membrane (things found in the Perinuclear space inside the outer and inner membrane will also be found in the ER)
How many membranes does the nucleus have?
Two, the inner and outer nuclear membrane
-A double layered envelope that surrounds the nucleus
-periNuclear space is inbetween the two membranes
What is the nuclear lamina?
A protein mesh work that provides structural support and anchors chromatin
What are nuclear pore complexes (NPC’s)?
“-nucleus gate keepers”
-3 to 4000 NPC per nucleus, each composed of 30 nuclearporins (NUPs)
What are cytosolic fibrils?
-they look like oily spaghetti
-Have a high affinity for FG repeats (phenylalanine, glycine) which help recruit NLS signal
-Helps NLS signals proteins, get into the nucleus 
At what size is a molecule considered “small” and able to pass through the membrane freely?
60 kDa or lower
What is an importin/nuclear import receptor?
-bind to NLS of proteins
-Facilitates docking NLS protein at a nuclear poor complex in order to gain entry into the nucleus
-Multiple shapes/kinds
What role does cytosolic nuclear pore fibrils play in transporting the protein to NPC?
Affinity for FG repeats “dock” the NLS/transport receptor onto the NPC
What is Ran?
A GTP-ase, it can exist as ran GDP or ran GTP
-a molecular “switch”, very similar to ATP
What is ran-GAP?
( GTPase activating protein)
-enzyme that works in the CYTOSOL that triggers conversion of ran-GTP to ran-GDP
-creates high conc of GDP in the cytosol
What is ran-GEF?
(GTPase Exchange Factor)
-an enzyme in the nucleus that converts Ran-GDP to Ran-GTP
-is stuck to chromatin inside the nucleus
-causes high concentration of Ran-GTP in the nucleus