《植物生理学报》 2011, 47(1): 9-17

信号肽与蛋白质的分选转运

彭佳师, 龚继明*

中国科学院上海生命科学研究院植物生理生态研究所, 植物分子遗传国家重点实验室, 上海 200032

通信作者：龚继明；E-mail: jmgong@sibs.ac.cn；Tel: 021-54924036

摘　要：

蛋白质一般在位于细胞质中的核糖体内合成, 但是它们发挥生理功能的地点却分布在细胞的不同区域, 这些区域通 常由蛋白质所不能自由透过的脂膜所包裹。因此, 细胞质中新合成的蛋白质必须进行准确的定向运输才能保证各项生命活 动的正常运行。研究发现, 一般情况下, 新生蛋白通常在位于其 N 端的信号肽的指引下到达细胞特定区域, 并由其介导跨 膜转运。本文重点介绍信号肽的结构、功能及作用机制等的研究成果。

关键词：信号肽; 蛋白质分选; 信号假说; 信号肽酶; 核定位信号

收稿：2010-09-04   修定：2010-10-20

The Mechanisms of Protein Sorting and Translocation Regulated by Signal Peptides

PENG Jia-Shi, GONG Ji-Ming*

National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China

Corresponding author: GONG Ji-Ming; E-mail: jmgong@sibs.ac.cn; Tel: 021-54924036

Abstract:

Proteins are primarily synthesized in the ribosomes while their physiological functions are performed in various subcellular compartments, which are separated by lipid membranes that are not freely permeable to proteins. Therefore, once synthesized in the cytoplasm, proteins must be sorted and targeted to proper functional compartments to ensure fine-tuning of essential physiological processes. Accumulating evidences have demonstrated that signal peptides, which are frequently localized at the N-terminus of nascent proteins, play an essential role in this process. The current review will summarize research progress on the structure and function of signal peptides, and focus on the mechanisms of protein sorting and translocation regulated by signal peptides.

Key words: signal peptide; protein sorting; signal hypothesis; signal peptidase; nuclear localization signal