I think this is describing a signal peptide (hydrophobic at N-terminus). Without signal peptide => canโt be transported into endoplasmic reticulum.
The N-terminus is where you have signal peptides which define the target of the proteins (think of them as postal code). Typically, proteins are in the cytoplasm after they are made, but since the have tags at n-terminus, they go to different targets like this case ER. Now, if the protein is retained in the cytoplasm, this means the mutation disabled the tag (no postal code). Hence, it is kept in the cytoplasm.
Can anyone help explain what the other options would entail?
submitted by โdrdoom(1206)
The synthesis of virtually all proteins (mRNA->peptide) occurs in the cytoplasm.
[1]
Thatโs where all ribosomes reside, after all. Ribosomes, which are mostly just rRNA (~2/3 rRNA + 1/3 protein*, by weight), are assembled in the nucleus but only do their stuff once they get to the cytoplasm.For a protein to leave its original hometown of the cytosol and become a resident of the nucleus or, say, the endoplasmic reticulum, it needs to have a little string of amino acids which shout โI belong in the nucleus!โ or โI belong in the endoplasmic reticulum!โ
Proteins ultimately destined for the ER contain an unimaginatively named string of amino acids known as โsignal sequence,โ which, for the purposes of the Step 1, is always at the N-terminus. The signal sequence tells other cytosolic proteins, โHey! Take me (and the rest of the peptide of which I am part) to the ER!โ
In the absence of this signal, a protein will remain in its โdefaultโ home of the cytosol.
Here’s a nice schematic showing the flow of proteins from initial synthesis to final destinations:
Endnotes
*If you really want your mind blown, consider that even the protein subunits that make up that 1/3 of a ribosome are themselves initially synthesized in the cytosol; later, they are transported back into the nucleus via the nuclear pore.