- · Image courtesy of Andrei Lomize, CC BY-SA 3.0,
Joel Kontinen
Membrane proteins are common proteins
that interact with biological membranes, connecting the cell to its environment and are essential for key biological activities
and cell survival. To function properly, they need to adopt a well-defined
three-dimensional structure within the lipid bilayer. Failures in this process can
give birth to numerous diseases.
Zanotti et al. found that the human signal peptidase complex, which removes signal peptides from endoplasmic reticulum–targeted secretory and membrane proteins, has an additional quality control function. The complex cleaves faulty membrane proteins, supporting their degradation and helping to maintain a healthy membrane proteome. Evolution cannot do this, but intelligent design can.
These findings extend our understanding of molecular quality control in cells and suggest potential targets in protein-folding disorders
Source:
Hurtley Stella M. 2022, Weeding out faulty membrane proteins Science 1 December,
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