Membrane Insertion of Tail‐anchored Proteins

Maya Schuldiner, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
Blanche Schwappach, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
Jonathan S Weissman, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA

Published online: January 2010

DOI: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0021876

Tail-anchored (TA) proteins are a special class of transmembrane proteins, which harbour only a single hydrophobic segment adjacent to their most C-terminus. This anchor must be inserted into membranes posttranslationally to allow for their correct cellular localization. Although TA proteins have essential cellular roles such as signal transduction, apoptosis and vesicle fusion, their biogenesis route has for many years remained unknown. Recently, several advances have created a new understanding of the TA protein insertion machinery. Uncovering the machinery responsible for the biogenesis of TA proteins should further our ability to understand a wide variety of diseases such as forms of cancer caused by activation of the TA protein oncogene BCL2.

Key concepts:

  • Tail-anchored proteins have C-terminal hydrophobic domains.
  • Tail-anchored proteins are inserted posttranslationally into the membrane.
  • The GET complex inserts tail-anchored proteins into the endoplasmic reticulum membrane in yeast.
  • The TRC complex chaperones tail-anchored proteins into membranes in humans.

Keywords: tail-anchored proteins; membrane insertion; GET/TRC; ATPase; endoplasmic reticulum; mitochondria

Figure 1. Schematic representation of the insertion process for secretory pathway proteins containing transmembrane domains. Left shows the cotranslational translocation mechanism using signal sequence recognition particle and the translocon channel. On the right is a tail-anchored (TA) protein that requires posttranslational insertion.
Figure 2. Schematic representation of TA proteins and their possible cellular destinations. Once out of the ribosome, a TA protein can integrate either into the mitochondria or the ER from where it will continue to be distributed between membrane compartments connected by membrane contact sites or vesicular traffic.
Figure 3. Schematic representation of the TA protein insertion cycle in yeast. Letters refer to the different stages discussed in the text.
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Related Sub-Topics:

Cell Membranes | Membrane Proteins | Proteins: Structure, Function, Metabolism
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Article Title: Membrane Insertion of Tail‐anchored Proteins
 
How to Cite close
Schuldiner, Maya, Schwappach, Blanche, and Weissman, Jonathan S(Jan 2010) Membrane Insertion of Tail‐anchored Proteins. In: eLS. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester. http://www.els.net [doi: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0021876]