Glycoprotein import: a common feature of complex plastids?
Complex plastids evolved by secondary endosymbiosis and are, in contrast to primary plastids, surrounded by 3 or 4 envelope membranes. Recently, we provided evidence that in diatoms proteins exist that get N-glycosylated during transport across the outermost membrane of the complex plastid. This gives rise to unique questions on the transport mechanisms of these bulky proteins, which get transported across up to 3 further membranes into the plastid stroma. Here we discuss our results in an evolutionary context and speculate about the existence of plastidal glycoproteins in other organisms with complex plastids.
Department of Cell Biology of the Philipps University Marburg; Marburg, Germany; Current Affiliation: Department of Biomolecular Mechanisms; Max-Planck-Institute for Medical Research; Heidelberg, Germany.
Madeleine
M
Peschke
Franziska
F
Hempel
D017377:Diatoms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018087:Plastids / Q000378:metabolism*; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D013559:Symbiosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
D006023:Glycoproteins
complex plastid; glycoprotein; protein translocation; secondary endosymbiosis