Lipid involvement in protein translocation in Escherichia coli

Abstract

Signal peptides play an essential role in protein trans‐location. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the structure of signal peptides and signal peptide‐lipid interactions and addresses the possibility that signal peptide‐lipid interactions initiate membrane translocation of precursor proteins. A new model for protein translocation in Escherichia coli is proposed, which includes as central features con‐formational changes of the signal peptide and signal‐peptide‐induced local changes in membrane organization (non‐bilayer lipids). Copyright © 1990, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved