title: Two-step insertion at the SecY translocon.
abstract: SecY and Sec61 translocons mediate the orderly insertion of transmembrane segments into the lipid bilayer during membrane-protein biogenesis. Reporting in this issue, Ismail et al. now use a SecM-based molecular force sensor to show that the translocon exerts a pulling force on the nascent chain that is capable of mechanical action at two distinct stages of the insertion process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA.
authors.forename: Soo Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: William R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Skach
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C497347:SecM protein, E coli; D014157:Transcription Factors