title: Protein structure and import into the peroxisomal matrix.
abstract: Proteins destined for the peroxisomal matrix are synthesized in the cytosol, and imported post-translationally. It has been previously demonstrated that stably folded proteins are substrates for peroxisomal import. Mammalian peroxisomes do not contain endogenous chaperone molecules. Therefore, it is possible that proteins are required to fold into their stable, tertiary conformation in order to be imported into the peroxisome. These investigations were undertaken to determine whether proteins rendered incapable of folding were also substrates for import into peroxisomes. Reduction of albumin resulted in a less compact tertiary structure as measured by analytical centrifugation. Microinjection of unfolded albumin molecules bearing the PTS1 targeting signal resulted in their import into peroxisomes. Kinetic analysis indicated that native and unfolded molecules were imported into peroxisomes at comparable rates. While import was unaffected by treatment with cycloheximide, hsc70 molecules were observed to be imported along with the unfolded albumin molecules. These results indicate that proteins, which are incapable of assuming their native conformation, are substrates for peroxisomal import. When combined with previous observations demonstrating the import of stably folded proteins, these results support the model that tertiary structure has no effect on protein import into the peroxisomal matrix.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada.
authors.forename: Cécile B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Brocard
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jedeszko
authors.forename: Hong Chang
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Stanley R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Terlecky
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Walton
mesh_terms: D003513:Cycloheximide / Q000378:metabolism; D004220:Disulfides / Q000378:metabolism; D050883:HSC70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D020675:Peroxisomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000502:physiology; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004220:Disulfides; D050883:HSC70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; C494371:HSPA8 protein, human; D012709:Serum Albumin; D003513:Cycloheximide