title: Essential role of the G-domain in targeting of the protein import receptor atToc159 to the chloroplast outer membrane.
abstract: Two homologous GTP-binding proteins, atToc33 and atToc159, control access of cytosolic precursor proteins to the chloroplast. atToc33 is a constitutive outer chloroplast membrane protein, whereas the precursor receptor atToc159 also exists in a soluble, cytosolic form. This suggests that atToc159 may be able to switch between a soluble and an integral membrane form. By transient expression of GFP fusion proteins, mutant analysis, and biochemical experimentation, we demonstrate that the GTP-binding domain regulates the targeting of cytosolic atToc159 to the chloroplast and mediates the switch between cytosolic and integral membrane forms. Mutant atToc159, unable to bind GTP, does not reinstate a green phenotype in an albino mutant (ppi2) lacking endogenous atToc159, remaining trapped in the cytosol. Thus, the function of atToc159 in chloroplast biogenesis is dependent on an intrinsic GTP-regulated switch that controls localization of the receptor to the chloroplast envelope.
authors.affiliation: Plant Physiology and Biochemistry Group, Institute of Plant Sciences, ETH Zürich, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hiltbrunner
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Weibel
authors.forename: Pierre-Alexandre
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Vidi
authors.forename: Mayte
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Huerta
authors.forename: Matthew D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Danny J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Schnell
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kessler
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001665:Binding Sites; D002736:Chloroplasts / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D017354:Point Mutation; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D021381:Protein Transport; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C403444:TOC159 protein, Arabidopsis; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins