title: Small single transmembrane domain (STMD) proteins organize the hydrophobic subunits of large membrane protein complexes.
abstract: The large membrane protein complexes of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation are composed of central subunits that are essential for their bioenergetic core function and accessory subunits that may assist in regulation, assembly or stabilization. Although sequence conservation is low, a significant proportion of the accessory subunits is characterized by a common single transmembrane (STMD) topology. The STMD signature is also found in subunits of other membrane protein complexes. We hypothesize that the general function of STMD subunits is to organize the hydrophobic subunits of large membrane protein complexes in specialized environments like the inner mitochondrial membrane.
authors.affiliation: Goethe-Universität, Fachbereich Medizin, Molekulare Bioenergetik, Cluster of Excellence Frankfurt "Macromolecular Complexes", Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zickermann
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Angerer
authors.forename: Martina G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nübel
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Brandt
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D051336:Mitochondrial Membranes / Q000737:chemistry; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes / Q000737:chemistry*; D010085:Oxidative Phosphorylation; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D021122:Protein Subunits; D040681:Structural Homology, Protein; D025062:Yarrowia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D021122:Protein Subunits