Intracellular Protein Transport And Membrane Biogenesis

This book is about membrane biogenesis and protein transport across biological membranes. Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic membrane transport systems are considered. The characteristics of targeting signals and membrane receptors on various intracellular organelles are described. Protein targeting to the endoplasmic reticulum and secretion via vesicular transport are discussed. In addition, recent developments in protein targeting and membrane transport to mitochondria, chloroplasts, peroxisomes and the nucleus are described. An introductory chapter on biological membranes is included as a review while a chapter on the transport of lipids to intracellular membranes precedes discussions on protein transport and membrane translocation.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of recent developments in the fast moving field of protein transport across and into intracellular membranes. The soluble and membrane-bound components assisting in these processes are introduced, and their functions described. Besides a detailed analysis of protein translocation across the bacterial plasma membrane, the mechanisms of protein targeting within the eukaryotic cell are discussed with special focus on the transport of proteins to the endoplasmic reticulum, vacuoles, peroxisomes, mitochondria, and chloroplasts. Providing stimulating hypotheses and models, the book is well suited for advanced students, graduate students, and for newcomers to the field seeking a general, yet accurate introduction to present knowledge in membrane transport of proteins.

This volume contains the lectures presented at the NATO Advanced Study Institute (ASI) on "Trafficking of Intracellular Membranes: From Molecular Sorting to Membrane Fusion", held in Espinho, Portugal, from June 19 to June 30,1994. The objective of this Institute was to survey recent developments and to discuss future directions in the rapidly advancing field of membrane cell biology, with particular emphasis on the dynamical properties and intracellular flow of membranes. A wide range of interrelated topics around the central theme of intracellular trafficking of membranes was covered, including lipid flow, membrane fusion, dynamics of membrane components, protein folding and assembly, vesicular transport in membrane biogenesis, exocytosis and endocytosis. A large variety of experimental techniques and systems, including the application of viruses and model systems, to study these processes was also considered. Membrane cell biology is a broad discipline which encompasses many scientific areas including cell biology, biochemistry, biophysics, virology, immunonology and genetics. Indeed, recent advances in the cell biology of membranes could not have been made without this multidisciplinary approach. Significant progress achieved during the last few years in understanding how newly synthesized lipids and proteins find their way to the cell organelles, how molecular sorting and the continuous flow of membranes allow each cellular membrane to maintain its own distinct molecular composition, and, thereby, the individuality of the various intracellular compartments, was discussed in considerable detail in this Institute.

This text concentrates on the following specific topics: the dynamic character of lipids and proteins in biological membranes; the existence of specific domains in membranes including their visualisation; the molecular mechanisms of intracellular transport of membrane constituents and the involvement of lipid-protein interactions in these processes; protein assembly; structure and folding and transport through membranes; and the intracellular sorting and targeting of individual membrane components as well as different organelles."

Scientific reviews are now of two complementary types: short, very up-to-date articles, as are found in the Trends series, and the more traditional longer re views, which are more comprehensive but take longer to publish. The Subcellu lar Biochemistry series belongs to the latter category where a number of reviews on a broad topic are collected together in the one volume. It has been the aim of this volume to summarize the present state of knowledge of membrane assembly. It is appreciated that some relevant topics have not been included, and an editor's selection is restricted by the many calls on potential authors who are unable to meet all requests made to them. The absence of a discussion of the roles of lipids is," however, a reflection of the fact that a recent volume in this series, edited by Dr. H. 1. Hilderson, has been devoted to this subject (Vol. 16, Intracellular Transfer of Lipid Molecules), and readers are recommended to this source.

The Biogenesis of Cellular Organelles represents a comprehensive summary of recent advances in the study of the biogenesis and functional dynamics of the major organelles operating in the eukaryotic cell. This book begins by placing the study of organelle biogenesis in a historical perspective by describing past scientific strategies, theories, and findings and relating these foundations to current investigations. Reviews of protein and lipid mediators important for organelle biogenesis are then presented, and are followed by summaries focused on the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, lysosome, nucleus, mitochondria, and peroxisome.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the basic principles, concepts, techniques and latest advances in the field of biomembranes and membrane-associated processes. With new emerging technologies and bioinformatics tools, this is a promising area for future study and research. The book discusses the composition, fluidity and dynamic nature of phospholipid bilayers, which vary with cell/organelle type and function. It describes the various types of transport proteins that facilitate the transport of polar and nonpolar molecules across the membrane actively or passively via ion-channels or through porins. It also explores the many cellular functions membranes participate in: (1) energy transduction, which includes the electron transport chain in inner membrane of mitochondria and bacterial cytoplasmic membrane and photosynthetic electron transport in thylakoid membranes in chloroplast and photosynthetic bacterial membranes; (2) cell–cell communication involving various signal transduction pathways triggered by activated membrane receptors; (3) cell–cell interactions involving various types of adhesion and receptor proteins; (4) nerve transmission involving opening and closing of voltage gated ionic channels; and (5) intracellular transport involving the processes of endocytosis, exocytosis, vesicular transport of solutes between intracellular compartments, membrane fusion and membrane biogenesis.