title: Twin-arginine translocation pathway in Streptomyces lividans.
abstract: The recently discovered bacterial twin-arginine translocation (Tat) pathway was investigated in Streptomyces lividans, a gram-positive organism with a high secretion capacity. The presence of one tatC and two hcf106 homologs in the S. lividans genome together with the several precursor proteins with a twin-arginine motif in their signal peptide suggested the presence of the twin-arginine translocation pathway in the S. lividans secretome. To demonstrate its functionality, a tatC deletion mutant was constructed. This mutation impaired the translocation of the Streptomyces antibioticus tyrosinase, a protein that forms a complex with its transactivator protein before export. Also the chimeric construct pre-TorA-23K, known to be exclusively secreted via the Tat pathway in Escherichia coli, could be translocated in wild-type S. lividans but not in the tatC mutant. In contrast, the secretion of the Sec-dependent S. lividans subtilisin inhibitor was not affected. This study therefore demonstrates that also in general in Streptomyces spp. the Tat pathway is functional. Moreover, this Tat pathway can translocate folded proteins, and the E. coli TorA signal peptide can direct Tat-dependent transport in S. lividans.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Bacteriology, Rega Institute, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Minderbroedersstraat 10, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schaerlaekens
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schierová
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lammertyn
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Geukens
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Anné
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Mellaert
mesh_terms: D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000378:metabolism; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D013302:Streptomyces / Q000378:metabolism*; D020860:Subtilisin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; C408585:twin-arginine translocase complex, E coli; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase; D020860:Subtilisin