RESUMEN
The GTPase superfamily of proteins provides molecular switches to regulate numerous cellular processes. The 'GTPase switch' paradigm, in which external regulatory factors control the switch of a GTPase between 'on' and 'off' states, has been used to interpret the regulatory mechanism of many GTPases. However, recent work unveiled a class of nucleotide hydrolases that do not adhere to this classical paradigm. Instead, they use nucleotide-dependent dimerization cycles to regulate key cellular processes. In this review article, recent studies of dimeric GTPases and ATPases involved in intracellular protein targeting are summarized. It is suggested that these proteins can use the conformational plasticity at their dimer interface to generate multiple points of regulation, thereby providing the driving force and spatiotemporal coordination of complex cellular pathways.
Asunto(s)
Adenosina Trifosfatasas/química , Evolución Molecular , GTP Fosfohidrolasas/química , Factores de Intercambio de Guanina Nucleótido/química , Nucleotidasas/química , Proteínas de Saccharomyces cerevisiae/química , Adenosina Trifosfatasas/clasificación , Adenosina Trifosfatasas/genética , Adenosina Trifosfatasas/metabolismo , Animales , Archaea/clasificación , Archaea/genética , Archaea/metabolismo , Bacterias/clasificación , Bacterias/genética , Bacterias/metabolismo , GTP Fosfohidrolasas/clasificación , GTP Fosfohidrolasas/genética , GTP Fosfohidrolasas/metabolismo , Expresión Génica , Factores de Intercambio de Guanina Nucleótido/genética , Factores de Intercambio de Guanina Nucleótido/metabolismo , Humanos , Nucleotidasas/clasificación , Nucleotidasas/genética , Nucleotidasas/metabolismo , Filogenia , Unión Proteica , Conformación Proteica en Hélice alfa , Conformación Proteica en Lámina beta , Dominios y Motivos de Interacción de Proteínas , Multimerización de Proteína , Transporte de Proteínas , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/clasificación , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genética , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolismo , Proteínas de Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genética , Proteínas de Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolismoRESUMEN
Co-translational protein targeting by the Signal Recognition Particle (SRP) is an essential cellular pathway that couples the synthesis of nascent proteins to their proper cellular localization. The bacterial SRP, which contains the minimal ribonucleoprotein core of this universally conserved targeting machine, has served as a paradigm for understanding the molecular basis of protein localization in all cells. In this review, we highlight recent biochemical and structural insights into the molecular mechanisms by which fundamental challenges faced by protein targeting machineries are met in the SRP pathway. Collectively, these studies elucidate how an essential SRP RNA and two regulatory GTPases in the SRP and SRP receptor (SR) enable this targeting machinery to recognize, sense and respond to its biological effectors, i.e. the cargo protein, the target membrane and the translocation machinery, thus driving efficient and faithful co-translational protein targeting. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Protein trafficking and secretion in bacteria. Guest Editors: Anastassios Economou and Ross Dalbey.