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Targeting signals for a bacterial Sec-independent export system direct plant thylakoid import by the delta pH pathway
M Wexler1, E G Bogsch, R B Klösgen
1Centre for Metalloprotein Spectroscopy and Biology, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
Abstract:
Preproteins targeted to the Sec-independent protein transport systems of plant thylakoids and of bacteria both have unusual transfer peptides bearing a consensus twin-arginine motif. Possible mechanistic similarity between the two Sec-independent transport pathways was investigated by assessing the ability of bacterial twin-arginine transfer peptides to direct thylakoid import. High efficiency import was observed. This process was demonstrated to occur specifically via the Sec-independent deltapH pathway and to depend on an intact twin-arginine motif on the transfer peptide. These results provide strong evidence for the operation of mechanistically related Sec-independent protein transport pathways in chloroplasts and bacteria.
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