The twin-arginine translocation pathway is a major route of protein export in Streptomyces coelicolor

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Nov 21;103(47):17927-32. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0607025103. Epub 2006 Nov 8.

Abstract

The twin-arginine translocation (Tat) pathway is a protein transport system for the export of folded proteins. Substrate proteins are targeted to the Tat translocase by N-terminal signal peptides harboring a distinctive R-R-x-Phi-Phi "twin-arginine" amino acid motif. Using a combination of proteomic techniques, the protein contents from the cell wall of the model Gram-positive bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor were identified and compared with that of mutant strains defective in Tat transport. The proteomic experiments pointed to 43 potentially Tat-dependent extracellular proteins. Of these, 25 were verified as bearing bona fide Tat-targeting signal peptides after independent screening with a facile, rapid, and sensitive reporter assay. The identified Tat substrates, among others, include polymer-degrading enzymes, phosphatases, and binding proteins as well as enzymes involved in secondary metabolism. Moreover, in addition to predicted extracellular substrates, putative lipoproteins were shown to be Tat-dependent. This work provides strong experimental evidence that the Tat system is used as a major general export pathway in Streptomyces.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Arginine / metabolism*
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • Glycoside Hydrolases / metabolism
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Phenotype
  • Protein Sorting Signals
  • Protein Transport / physiology*
  • Proteomics / methods
  • Streptomyces coelicolor / cytology
  • Streptomyces coelicolor / metabolism*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Protein Sorting Signals
  • twin-arginine translocase complex, E coli
  • Arginine
  • Glycoside Hydrolases
  • agarase