Trans‐membrane Translocation of Proteins

Abstract

A detailed, computerized procedure for analysing the translocation process of any protein with known sequence from a physico‐chemical point of view is presented and used to gain a better understanding of the molecular ‘rules’ that govern the final outcome of the process. With the aid of this procedure a number of testable predictions of the orientations of particular membrane‐bound proteins can be made. It is also suggested that ovalbumin, the only known secreted protein lacking a cleavable prepiece, initiates translocation in a way that differs from other secreted proteins.