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- Boekel, Carolina, 1977-
(author)
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Integration and topology of membrane proteins
- 2009
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Membrane proteins comprise around 20-30% of most proteomes. They play important roles in most biochemical pathways. All receptors and ion channels are membrane proteins, which make them attractive targets for drug design. Membrane proteins insert and fold co-translationally into the endoplasmic reticular membrane of eukaryotic cells. The protein-conducting channel that inserts the protein into the membrane is called Sec61 translocon, which is a hetero-oligomeric channel that allows transmembrane segments to insert laterally into the lipid bilayer. The focus of this thesis is how the translocon recognizes the transmembrane helices and integrates them into the membrane.We have investigated the sequence requirements for the translocon-mediated integration of a transmembrane α-helix into the ER by challenging the Sec61 translocon with designed polypeptide segments in an in vitro expression system that allows a quantitative assessment of membrane insertion efficiency. Our studies suggest that helices might interact with each other already during the membrane-insertion step, possibly forming helical hairpins that partition into the membrane as a single unit. Further, the insertion efficiency for Nin-Cout vs. Nout-Cin transmembrane helices and the integration efficiency of Alzheimer’s Aβ-peptide fragments has been investigated.Finally, detailed topology mapping was performed on two biologically interesting proteins with unknown topology, the human seipin protein and Drosophila melanogaster odorant receptor OR83b.
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| 2. |
- Lara Vasquez, Patricia, 1982-
(author)
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Integration and topology of membrane proteins related to diseases
- 2015
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Membranes are boundaries that separate the cell from the external environment. Membrane proteins can function as e.g. receptors and channels, allowing cells to communicate with the exterior and molecules to pass through the membrane. The biogenesis of membrane proteins involves a protein-conducting channel that aids the hydrophobic segments to partition into the membrane and translocate the hydrophilic loops. Membrane proteins need to fold to its native conformation including post-translational modifications and assembly with other proteins and/or cofactors. If this regulated pathway goes wrong the degradation machinery degrades the protein. If the system is failing can result in serious disorders. The main focus in this thesis is membrane proteins associated to diseases.We have studied mutations in the gene of presenilin 1, which is involved in Alzheimer’s disease. We found that some mutations affect the structure and other the function of the PS1. URG7 is an unknown protein associated with liver cancer. We suggest it is localized and targeted to the ER membrane, having an NoutCin topology. SP-C is important for our lungs to function. Mutations can cause the protein to aggregate. We have studied the highly Val-rich transmembrane segment (poly-Val) and its analogue (poly-Leu) and show that poly-Leu folds into a more compact conformation than poly-Val. We show that the C-terminal chaperon-like BRICHOS domain interacts with the ER membrane, suggesting an involvement in poly-Val folding. We have also confirmed the topology of URG7, MRP6 and SP-C poly-Val/Leu using gGFP that is fused to the C-terminal of the protein.
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