Membranes and protein targeting

14 important questions on Membranes and protein targeting

What is role of membrane proteins?

They mediate the contact with the environement and mediates the structure of the membrane

What does an integral membrane protein needs to contain?

It contain a helically shaped I, L, F hydrophobic domains to cross the hydrophobic membrane core

How are membrane proteins anchored?

Through fatty acid or phenyl groups
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Which factor plays a role in the thickness of a membrane?

It depends on the level of chain saturation of their phospholipids
  • unsaturated are less thick -> more fluidity
    • lateral diffusion <->
    • flexion
    • rotation
  • saturated are more thick

How does the distribution look like in a double membrane?

Phospholipids are asymmetricallly disturbed over the leaflets of the double membrane
  • extracellulaire space contain sugar
  • cytosol is more negative


Flip flop rare happens because of the asymmetrical distrubution

What is role of cholesterol?

It stiffens the membrane (polar head), can create lipid rafts

Explain how signal sequences guide proteins to destination in prokaryotes

  1. co-translationally translocated - some integral membrane proteins are inserted directly to the membrane while translation of the protein is happening
  2. periplasmic proteins are secreted via Sec, Tat or Com translocaters for post-translational protein translocation

What is the difference between post-translation and co-translocation?

Protein translocation can occur either cotranslationally, during which insertion into the ER lumen or membrane occurs while protein synthesis is not finishes.


Post-translationally, in which translocation occurs after a polypeptide has been completely synthesized.

What is the role of twin arginine translocase (TAT)?

TAT can move a subset of already folded protein across the inner membrane and into the periplasm -> powered by proton motive force

Explain protein import into the nucleus of an eurkaryotes

mRNA export and protein import needs to pass a water channel (nuclear pore)
  • uses internal signals and soluble nuclear protein import receptor

Explain the process how proteins pass the membranes


The membrane translocation process is energy driven and needs a membrane potential as well as heat shock proteins
  1. hsp70 chaperones binds to protein and will disassociate when it when get pass the membrane, which is ATP dependent
  2. the protein will pass the TIM23 by a membrane potential (caused by NAD/NADH couple, which donate e- to O2)
  3. when in matrix, hsp70 will bind to protein, which is ATP dependent

How do inner membrane proteins get to their place?

  1. TIM 23 dependent sorting to
    the inner membrane proceeds
    either through initial import
    and  re-export similar to
    mitochondrially synthesized
    proteins by OXA complex
  2. with a second stop transfer signal peptide

Explain the two ways of modification for intermembrane proteins

1. Proteins are cleaved
2. TIM22 proceeds through the cation of a signal internal signal sequence

Explain the peroxisome biogenesis from ER and protein import

  1. Peroxisomal precursor vesicle leaves the ER with specific protein that catalyze protein import
  2. growth by uptake of peroxisomal protein and lipids
  3. fission

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