title: Unity in function in the absence of consensus in sequence: role of leader peptides in export.
abstract: Passage of proteins across membranes during export from their site of synthesis to their final destination is mediated by leader peptides that paradoxically exhibit a unity of function in spite of a diversity of sequence. These leader peptides act in at least two stages of the export process: at entry into the pathway and subsequently during translocation across the membrane. How selectivity is imposed on the system in the absence of a consensus among the sequences of leader peptides is the main issue discussed here.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry/Biophysics Program, Washington State University, Pullman 99164.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Randall
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hardy
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001692:Biological Transport; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000378:metabolism; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals / Q000502:physiology*; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D011498:Protein Precursors; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D011506:Proteins