title: Membrane interactions and self-association of the TatA and TatB components of the twin-arginine translocation pathway.
abstract: The Escherichia coli Tat system mediates Sec-independent export of protein precursors bearing twin-arginine signal peptides. The essential Tat pathway components TatA, TatB and TatC are shown to be integral membrane proteins. Upon removal of the predicted N-terminal transmembrane helix TatA becomes a water-soluble protein. In contrast the homologous TatB protein retains weak peripheral interactions with the cytoplasmic membrane when the analogous helix is deleted. Chemical crosslinking studies indicate that TatA forms at least homotrimers, and TatB minimally homodimers, in the native membrane environment. The presence of such homo-oligomeric interactions is supported by size exclusion chromatography.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Metalloprotein Spectroscopy and Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Leeuw
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Porcelli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sargent
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Berks
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*; D002793:Cholic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D003902:Detergents / Q000737:chemistry; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000502:physiology*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D021381:Protein Transport
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002793:Cholic Acids; D003902:Detergents; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; C408585:twin-arginine translocase complex, E coli; C028213:3-((3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonium)-1-propanesulfonate