The classical secretion of soluble proteins and transport of integral membrane proteins to the cell surface require transit into and through the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus. Signal peptides or transmembrane domains target proteins for translocation into the lumen or insertion into the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum, respectively. Here we discuss two mechanisms of unconventional protein targeting to plasma membranes, i.e., transport processes that are active in the absence of a functional Golgi system. We first focus on integral membrane proteins that are inserted into the endoplasmic reticulum but that, however, are transported to plasma membranes in a Golgi-independent manner. We then discuss soluble secretory proteins that are secreted from cells without any involvement of the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus.

Glutathione is central to cellular redox chemistry. The majority of glutathione redox research has been based on the chemical analysis of whole-cell extracts, which unavoidably destroy subcellular compartment-specific information. Compartment-specific real-time measurements based on genetically encoded fluorescent probes now suggest that the cytosolic glutathione redox potential is about 100 mV more reducing than previously thought. Using these probes in yeast, we show that even during severe oxidative stress, the cytosolic glutathione disulfide (GSSG) concentration is much more tightly regulated than expected and provides a mechanistic explanation for the discrepancy with conventional measurements. GSSG that is not immediately reduced in the cytosol is rapidly transported into the vacuole by the ABC-C transporter Ycf1. The amount of whole-cell GSSG is entirely dependent on Ycf1 and uninformative about the cytosolic glutathione pool. Applying these insights, we identify Trx2 and Grx2 as efficient backup systems to glutathione reductase for cytosolic GSSG reduction.

SummaryThe 34 kDa polypeptide of the outer envelope membranes from pea chloroplasts (OEP 34) is a major constituent of this membrane. OEP 34 is detected on polyacrylamide gels under non-reducing condition in association with OEP 75, the putative protein translocation pore. An antiserum against OEP 34 is able to co-immunoprecipitate the precursor of Rubisco small subunit from a partially purified import complex of chloroplast outer envelope membranes. A full-length cDNA clone coding for pea OEP 34 has been isolated. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence revealed typical and conserved sequence motifs found in GTP,binding proteins, making it a new and unique member of this superfamily. OEP 34 behaves as an integral constituent of the outer chloroplast envelope, which is anchored by its C-terminus into the membrane, while the majority of the protein projects into the cytoplasm. OEP 34 does not possess a cleavable N-terminal transit sequence but it is targeted to the chloroplasts and integrated into the outer membranes by internal sequence information which seems to be present in the C-terminal membrane anchor region. Productive integration of OEP 34 into the outer envelope requires, in contrast to other OEPs, proteasesensitive chloroplast surface components and is stimulated by ATP. The GTP binding specificity of OEP 34 is demonstrated by photo-affinity labelling in the presence of [~-32p]GTP. Overexpressed and purified OEP 34 possesses endogenous GTPese activity. These results indicate a possible regulatory function of OEP 34 in protein translocation into chloroplasts.

In eukaryotes, termination of messenger RNA (mRNA) translation is mediated by the release factors eRF1 and eRF3. Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism, we have identified a member of the DEAD-box protein (DBP) family, the DEAD-box RNA helicase and mRNA export factor Dbp5, as a player in translation termination. Dbp5 interacts genetically with both release factors and the polyadenlyate-binding protein Pab1. A physical interaction was specifically detected with eRF1. Moreover, we show that the helicase activity of Dbp5 is required for efficient stop-codon recognition, and intact Dbp5 is essential for recruitment of eRF3 into termination complexes. Therefore, Dbp5 controls the eRF3-eRF1 interaction and thus eRF3-mediated downstream events.