Uncovering the protein translocon at the chloroplast inner envelope membrane

Science. 2013 Feb 1;339(6119):571-4. doi: 10.1126/science.1229262.

Abstract

Chloroplasts require protein translocons at the outer and inner envelope membranes, termed TOC and TIC, respectively, to import thousands of cytoplasmically synthesized preproteins. However, the molecular identity of the TIC translocon remains controversial. Tic20 forms a 1-megadalton complex at the inner membrane and directly interacts with translocating preproteins. We purified the 1-megadalton complex from Arabidopsis, comprising Tic20 and three other essential components, one of which is encoded by the enigmatic open reading frame ycf1 in the chloroplast genome. All four components, together with well-known TOC components, were found stoichiometrically associated with different translocating preproteins. When reconstituted into planar lipid bilayers, the purified complex formed a preprotein-sensitive channel. Thus, this complex constitutes a general TIC translocon.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / metabolism*
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism*
  • Chloroplasts / metabolism*
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Gene Knockout Techniques
  • Lipid Bilayers / metabolism
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mutation
  • Open Reading Frames
  • Protein Transport

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Lipid Bilayers
  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Tic20 protein, Arabidopsis