Hydrophobically stabilized open state for the lateral gate of the Sec translocon

The Pathway of a Transmembrane Helix Insertion into the Membrane Assisted by Sec61α Channel

The significant inconsistency between the experimental and simulation results of the free energy for the translocon-assisted insertion of the transmembrane helix (TMH) has not been reasonably explained. Understanding the mechanism of TMH insertion through the translocon is the key to solving this problem. In this study, we performed a series of coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations and calculated the potential mean forces (PMFs) for three insertion processes of a hydrophobic TMH. The simulations reveal the pathway of the TMH insertion assisted by a translocon. The results indicate that the TMH contacts the top of the lateral gate first and then inserts down the lateral gate, which agrees with the sliding model. The TMH begins to transfer laterally to the bilayer when it is blocked by the plug and reaches the exit of the lateral gate, where there is a free energy minimum point. We also found that the connecting section between TM2 and TM3 of Sec61α prevented TMH from leaving the lateral gate and directly transitioning to the surface-bound state. These findings provide insight into the mechanism of the insertion of TMH through the translocon.

Bacterial Signal Peptides- Navigating the Journey of Proteins

In 1971, Blobel proposed the first statement of the Signal Hypothesis which suggested that proteins have amino-terminal sequences that dictate their export and localization in the cell. A cytosolic binding factor was predicted, and later the protein conducting channel was discovered that was proposed in 1975 to align with the large ribosomal tunnel. The 1975 Signal Hypothesis also predicted that proteins targeted to different intracellular membranes would possess distinct signals and integral membrane proteins contained uncleaved signal sequences which initiate translocation of the polypeptide chain. This review summarizes the central role that the signal peptides play as address codes for proteins, their decisive role as targeting factors for delivery to the membrane and their function to activate the translocation machinery for export and membrane protein insertion. After shedding light on the navigation of proteins, the importance of removal of signal peptide and their degradation are addressed. Furthermore, the emerging work on signal peptidases as novel targets for antibiotic development is described.

Folding and Insertion of Transmembrane Helices at the ER

In eukaryotic cells, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the entry point for newly synthesized proteins that are subsequently distributed to organelles of the endomembrane system. Some of these proteins are completely translocated into the lumen of the ER while others integrate stretches of amino acids into the greasy 30 Å wide interior of the ER membrane bilayer. It is generally accepted that to exist in this non-aqueous environment the majority of membrane integrated amino acids are primarily non-polar/hydrophobic and adopt an α-helical conformation. These stretches are typically around 20 amino acids long and are known as transmembrane (TM) helices. In this review, we will consider how transmembrane helices achieve membrane integration. We will address questions such as: Where do the stretches of amino acids fold into a helical conformation? What is/are the route/routes that these stretches take from synthesis at the ribosome to integration through the ER translocon? How do these stretches ‘know’ to integrate and in which orientation? How do marginally hydrophobic stretches of amino acids integrate and survive as transmembrane helices?

Structural determinants of a permeation barrier of the SecYEG translocon in the active state

The SecYEG translocon is a channel in bacteria, which provides a passage for secretory proteins across as well as integration of membrane proteins into the plasma membrane. The molecular mechanism, by which SecYEG manages protein transport while preventing water and ion leakage through the membrane, is still controversial. We employed molecular dynamics simulations to assess the contribution of the major structural elements - the plug and the pore ring (PR) - to the sealing of SecYEG in the active state, i.e., with a signal sequence helix occupying the lateral gate. We found, that the PR alone can provide a very tight seal for the wild-type translocon in the active state for both water and ions. Simulations of the mutant I403N, in which one of the PR-defining isoleucine residues is replaced with asparagine, suggest that hydrophobic interactions within the PR and between the PR and the plug are important for maintaining a tight conformation of the wild-type channel around the PR. Disruption of these interactions results in strong fluctuations of helix TM7 and water leakage of the translocon.

Molecular Modeling of Signal Peptide Recognition by Eukaryotic Sec Complexes

Here, we review recent molecular modelling and simulation studies of the Sec translocon, the primary component/channel of protein translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and bacterial periplasm, respectively. Our focus is placed on the eukaryotic Sec61, but we also mention modelling studies on prokaryotic SecY since both systems operate in related ways. Cryo-EM structures are now available for different conformational states of the Sec61 complex, ranging from the idle or closed state over an inhibited state with the inhibitor mycolactone bound near the lateral gate, up to a translocating state with bound substrate peptide in the translocation pore. For all these states, computational studies have addressed the conformational dynamics of the translocon with respect to the pore ring, the plug region, and the lateral gate. Also, molecular simulations are addressing mechanistic issues of insertion into the ER membrane vs. translocation into the ER, how signal-peptides are recognised at all in the translocation pore, and how accessory proteins affect the Sec61 conformation in the co- and post-translational pathways.

Lateral gate dynamics of the bacterial translocon during cotranslational membrane protein insertion

Membrane proteins are inserted into the phospholipid bilayer through a lateral gate in the translocon, SecYEG in bacteria, which is expected to be closed in the resting state. Here, we use single-molecule FRET to study the translocon dynamics on timescales ranging from submilliseconds to seconds. We show that the lateral gate is highly dynamic, fluctuating through a continuum of states from open to closed. The insertase YidC facilitates the insertion of transmembrane helices by shifting the fluctuations toward more open conformations. Spontaneous fluctuations allow the gate to rapidly release newly synthesized transmembrane segments into the phospholipid bilayer during ongoing translation. The results highlight the important role of rapid spontaneous fluctuations during the key step in the biogenesis of inner-membrane proteins.

During synthesis of membrane proteins, transmembrane segments (TMs) of nascent proteins emerging from the ribosome are inserted into the central pore of the translocon (SecYEG in bacteria) and access the phospholipid bilayer through the open lateral gate formed of two helices of SecY. Here we use single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer to monitor lateral-gate fluctuations in SecYEG embedded in nanodiscs containing native membrane phospholipids. We find the lateral gate to be highly dynamic, sampling the whole range of conformations between open and closed even in the absence of ligands, and we suggest a statistical model-free approach to evaluate the ensemble dynamics. Lateral gate fluctuations take place on both short (submillisecond) and long (subsecond) timescales. Ribosome binding and TM insertion do not halt fluctuations but tend to increase sampling of the open state. When YidC, a constituent of the holotranslocon, is bound to SecYEG, TM insertion facilitates substantial opening of the gate, which may aid in the folding of YidC-dependent polytopic membrane proteins. Mutations in lateral gate residues showing in vivo phenotypes change the range of favored states, underscoring the biological significance of lateral gate fluctuations. The results suggest how rapid fluctuations of the lateral gate contribute to the biogenesis of inner-membrane proteins.

Characterization of the Features of Water Inside the SecY Translocon

Despite extended experimental and computational studies, the mechanism regulating membrane protein folding and stability in cell membranes is not fully understood. In this review, I will provide a personal and partial account of the scientific efforts undertaken by Dr. Stephen White to shed light on this topic. After briefly describing the role of water and the hydrophobic effect on cellular processes, I will discuss the physical chemistry of water confined inside the SecY translocon pore. I conclude with a review of recent literature that attempts to answer fundamental questions on the pathway and energetics of translocon-guided membrane protein insertion.

How does Sec63 affect the conformation of Sec61 in yeast?

The Sec complex catalyzes the translocation of proteins of the secretory pathway into the endoplasmic reticulum and the integration of membrane proteins into the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. Some substrate peptides require the presence and involvement of accessory proteins such as Sec63. Recently, a structure of the Sec complex from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, consisting of the Sec61 channel and the Sec62, Sec63, Sec71 and Sec72 proteins was determined by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Here, we show by co-precipitation that the Sec61 channel subunit Sbh1 is not required for formation of stable Sec63-Sec61 contacts. Molecular dynamics simulations started from the cryo-EM conformation of Sec61 bound to Sec63 and of unbound Sec61 revealed how Sec63 affects the conformation of Sec61 lateral gate, plug, pore region and pore ring diameter via three intermolecular contact regions. Molecular docking of SRP-dependent vs. SRP-independent signal peptide chains into the Sec61 channel showed that the pore regions affected by presence/absence of Sec63 play a crucial role in positioning the signal anchors of SRP-dependent substrates nearby the lateral gate.

Dynamics of Co-translational Membrane Protein Integration and Translocation via the Sec Translocon

An important aspect of cellular function is the correct targeting and delivery of newly synthesized proteins. Central to this task is the machinery of the Sec translocon, a transmembrane channel that is involved in both the translocation of nascent proteins across cell membranes and the integration of proteins into the membrane. Considerable experimental and computational effort has focused on the Sec translocon and its role in nascent protein biosynthesis, including the correct folding and expression of integral membrane proteins. However, the use of molecular simulation methods to explore Sec-facilitated protein biosynthesis is hindered by the large system sizes and long (i.e., minute) time scales involved. In this work, we describe the development and application of a coarse-grained simulation approach that addresses these challenges and allows for direct comparison with both in vivo and in vitro experiments. The method reproduces a wide range of experimental observations, providing new insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms, predictions for new experiments, and a strategy for the rational enhancement of membrane protein expression levels.

SecA-Mediated Protein Translocation through the SecYEG Channel

In bacteria, the Sec translocase mediates the translocation of proteins into and across the cytoplasmic membrane. It consists of a protein conducting channel SecYEG, the ATP-dependent motor SecA, and the accessory SecDF complex. Here we discuss the function and structure of the Sec translocase.

A molecular dynamics study on the resilience of Sec61 channel from open to closed state

When the nascent chain is released from the ribosome, its packing into the apolar environment of the lipid bilayer in the endoplasmic reticulum is facilitated by the Sec61 translocon. In this process, coupling of the conformational change of the channel is essential to transport the nascent chain and meanwhile maintain the membrane permeability barrier. Two molecular dynamics simulations were performed in the current work to investigate the resilience of the lateral gate and the linkage mechanism of the lateral gate, pore ring and plug. The results affirmed that the lateral gate is able to recover its partially-closed state rapidly after the nascent chain segment enters the bilayer. This triggers subsequent motions of the pore ring and plug, which prevent the small molecules passing through the pore. The pore diameter in the partially-closed state is about 6–7 Å. The plug would move upward ∼2 Å if the lateral gate could not close. Two waters permeate through the channel when the lateral gate was open. Water molecules could go across the bilayer via the gap of the open lateral gate due to the occluding of the pore ring and plug.

The lateral gate of Sec61 is able to recover its partially-closed state rapidly after the nascent chain segment enters the bilayer, which triggers subsequent motions of the pore ring and plug.

Forces on Nascent Polypeptides during Membrane Insertion and Translocation via the Sec Translocon

During ribosomal translation, nascent polypeptide chains (NCs) undergo a variety of physical processes that determine their fate in the cell. This study utilizes a combination of arrest peptide experiments and coarse-grained molecular dynamics to measure and elucidate the molecular origins of forces that are exerted on NCs during cotranslational membrane insertion and translocation via the Sec translocon. The approach enables deconvolution of force contributions from NC-translocon and NC-ribosome interactions, membrane partitioning, and electrostatic coupling to the membrane potential. In particular, we show that forces due to NC-lipid interactions provide a readout of conformational changes in the Sec translocon, demonstrating that lateral gate opening only occurs when a sufficiently hydrophobic segment of NC residues reaches the translocon. The combination of experiment and theory introduced here provides a detailed picture of the molecular interactions and conformational changes during ribosomal translation that govern protein biogenesis.

The importance of the membrane interface as the reference state for membrane protein stability

The insertion of nascent polypeptide chains into lipid bilayer membranes and the stability of membrane proteins crucially depend on the equilibrium partitioning of polypeptides. For this, the transfer of full sequences of amino-acid residues into the bilayer, rather than individual amino acids, must be understood. Earlier studies have revealed that the most likely reference state for partitioning very hydrophobic sequences is the membrane interface. We have used μs-scale simulations to calculate the interface-to-transmembrane partitioning free energies ΔG_S→TM for two hydrophobic carrier sequences in order to estimate the insertion free energy for all 20 amino acid residues when bonded to the center of a partitioning hydrophobic peptide. Our results show that prior single-residue scales likely overestimate the partitioning free energies of polypeptides. The correlation of ΔG_S→TM with experimental full-peptide translocon insertion data is high, suggesting an important role for the membrane interface in translocon-based insertion. The choice of carrier sequence greatly modulates the contribution of each single-residue mutation to the overall partitioning free energy. Our results demonstrate the importance of quantifying the observed full-peptide partitioning equilibrium, which is between membrane interface and transmembrane inserted, rather than combining individual water-to-membrane amino acid transfer free energies.

Improving membrane protein expression by optimizing integration efficiency

The heterologous overexpression of integral membrane proteins in Escherichia coli often yields insufficient quantities of purifiable protein for applications of interest. The current study leverages a recently demonstrated link between co-translational membrane integration efficiency and protein expression levels to predict protein sequence modifications that improve expression. Membrane integration efficiencies, obtained using a coarse-grained simulation approach, robustly predicted effects on expression of the integral membrane protein TatC for a set of 140 sequence modifications, including loop-swap chimeras and single-residue mutations distributed throughout the protein sequence. Mutations that improve simulated integration efficiency were 4-fold enriched with respect to improved experimentally observed expression levels. Furthermore, the effects of double mutations on both simulated integration efficiency and experimentally observed expression levels were cumulative and largely independent, suggesting that multiple mutations can be introduced to yield higher levels of purifiable protein. This work provides a foundation for a general method for the rational overexpression of integral membrane proteins based on computationally simulated membrane integration efficiencies.

Transmembrane helices containing a charged arginine are thermodynamically stable

Hydrophobic amino acids are abundant in transmembrane (TM) helices of membrane proteins. Charged residues are sparse, apparently due to the unfavorable energetic cost of partitioning charges into nonpolar phases. Nevertheless, conserved arginine residues within TM helices regulate vital functions, such as ion channel voltage gating and integrin receptor inactivation. The energetic cost of arginine in various positions along hydrophobic helices has been controversial. Potential of mean force (PMF) calculations from atomistic molecular dynamics simulations predict very large energetic penalties, while in vitro experiments with Sec61 translocons indicate much smaller penalties, even for arginine in the center of hydrophobic TM helices. Resolution of this conflict has proved difficult, because the in vitro assay utilizes the complex Sec61 translocon, while the PMF calculations rely on the choice of simulation system and reaction coordinate. Here we present the results of computational and experimental studies that permit direct comparison with the Sec61 translocon results. We find that the Sec61 translocon mediates less efficient membrane insertion of Arg-containing TM helices compared with our computational and experimental bilayer-insertion results. In the simulations, a combination of arginine snorkeling, bilayer deformation, and peptide tilting is sufficient to lower the penalty of Arg insertion to an extent such that a hydrophobic TM helix with a central Arg residue readily inserts into a model membrane. Less favorable insertion by the translocon may be due to the decreased fluidity of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane compared with pure palmitoyloleoyl-phosphocholine (POPC). Nevertheless, our results provide an explanation for the differences between PMF- and experiment-based penalties for Arg burial.

Structurally detailed coarse-grained model for Sec-facilitated co-translational protein translocation and membrane integration

We present a coarse-grained simulation model that is capable of simulating the minute-timescale dynamics of protein translocation and membrane integration via the Sec translocon, while retaining sufficient chemical and structural detail to capture many of the sequence-specific interactions that drive these processes. The model includes accurate geometric representations of the ribosome and Sec translocon, obtained directly from experimental structures, and interactions parameterized from nearly 200 μs of residue-based coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. A protocol for mapping amino-acid sequences to coarse-grained beads enables the direct simulation of trajectories for the co-translational insertion of arbitrary polypeptide sequences into the Sec translocon. The model reproduces experimentally observed features of membrane protein integration, including the efficiency with which polypeptide domains integrate into the membrane, the variation in integration efficiency upon single amino-acid mutations, and the orientation of transmembrane domains. The central advantage of the model is that it connects sequence-level protein features to biological observables and timescales, enabling direct simulation for the mechanistic analysis of co-translational integration and for the engineering of membrane proteins with enhanced membrane integration efficiency.

A Link between Integral Membrane Protein Expression and Simulated Integration Efficiency

Integral membrane proteins (IMPs) control the flow of information and nutrients across cell membranes, yet IMP mechanistic studies are hindered by difficulties in expression. We investigate this issue by addressing the connection between IMP sequence and observed expression levels. For homologs of the IMP TatC, observed expression levels vary widely and are affected by small changes in protein sequence. The effect of sequence changes on experimentally observed expression levels strongly correlates with the simulated integration efficiency obtained from coarse-grained modeling, which is directly confirmed using an in vivo assay. Furthermore, mutations that improve the simulated integration efficiency likewise increase the experimentally observed expression levels. Demonstration of these trends in both Escherichia coli and Mycobacterium smegmatis suggests that the results are general to other expression systems. This work suggests that IMP integration is a determinant for successful expression, raising the possibility of controlling IMP expression via rational design.

Channel crossing: how are proteins shipped across the bacterial plasma membrane?

The structure of the first protein-conducting channel was determined more than a decade ago. Today, we are still puzzled by the outstanding problem of protein translocation—the dynamic mechanism underlying the consignment of proteins across and into membranes. This review is an attempt to summarize and understand the energy transducing capabilities of protein-translocating machines, with emphasis on bacterial systems: how polypeptides make headway against the lipid bilayer and how the process is coupled to the free energy associated with ATP hydrolysis and the transmembrane protein motive force. In order to explore how cargo is driven across the membrane, the known structures of the protein-translocation machines are set out against the background of the historic literature, and in the light of experiments conducted in their wake. The paper will focus on the bacterial general secretory (Sec) pathway (SecY-complex), and its eukaryotic counterpart (Sec61-complex), which ferry proteins across the membrane in an unfolded state, as well as the unrelated Tat system that assembles bespoke channels for the export of folded proteins.

Insights into Cotranslational Nascent Protein Behavior from Computer Simulations

Regulation of protein stability and function in vivo begins during protein synthesis, when the ribosome translates a messenger RNA into a nascent polypeptide. Cotranslational processes involving a nascent protein include folding, binding to other macromolecules, enzymatic modification, and secretion through membranes. Experiments have shown that the rate at which the ribosome adds amino acids to the elongating nascent chain influences the efficiency of these processes, with alterations to these rates possibly contributing to diseases, including some types of cancer. In this review, we discuss recent insights into cotranslational processes gained from molecular simulations, how different computational approaches have been combined to understand cotranslational processes at multiple scales, and the new scenarios illuminated by these simulations. We conclude by suggesting interesting questions that computational approaches in this research area can address over the next few years.

Decrypting protein insertion through the translocon with free-energy calculations

Protein insertion into a membrane is a complex process involving numerous players. The most prominent of these players is the Sec translocon complex, a conserved protein-conducting channel present in the cytoplasmic membrane of bacteria and the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum in eukaryotes. The last decade has seen tremendous leaps forward in our understanding of how insertion is managed by the translocon and its partners, coming from atomic-detailed structures, innovative experiments, and well-designed simulations. In this review, we discuss how experiments and simulations, hand-in-hand, teased out the secrets of the translocon-facilitated membrane insertion process. In particular, we focus on the role of free-energy calculations in elucidating membrane insertion. Amazingly, despite all its apparent complexity, protein insertion into membranes is primarily driven by simple thermodynamic and kinetic principles. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Membrane proteins edited by J.C. Gumbart and Sergei Noskov.

Regulation of multispanning membrane protein topology via post-translational annealing

The canonical mechanism for multispanning membrane protein topogenesis suggests that protein topology is established during cotranslational membrane integration. However, this mechanism is inconsistent with the behavior of EmrE, a dual-topology protein for which the mutation of positively charged loop residues, even close to the C-terminus, leads to dramatic shifts in its topology. We use coarse-grained simulations to investigate the Sec-facilitated membrane integration of EmrE and its mutants on realistic biological timescales. This work reveals a mechanism for regulating membrane-protein topogenesis, in which initially misintegrated configurations of the proteins undergo post-translational annealing to reach fully integrated multispanning topologies. The energetic barriers associated with this post-translational annealing process enforce kinetic pathways that dictate the topology of the fully integrated proteins. The proposed mechanism agrees well with the experimentally observed features of EmrE topogenesis and provides a range of experimentally testable predictions regarding the effect of translocon mutations on membrane protein topogenesis.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.08697.001

Proteins are long chains of smaller molecules called amino acids, and are built inside cells by a molecular machine called the ribosome. Many important proteins must be inserted into the membrane that surrounds each cell in order to carry out their role. As these proteins are being built by the ribosome, they thread their way into a membrane-spanning channel (called the translocon) from the inner side of the membrane. Short segments of these integral membrane proteins (called transmembrane domains) then become embedded in the membrane, while other parts of the protein remain on either side of the membrane.

For a membrane protein to work properly, the end of each of its transmembrane domains must be on the correct side of the membrane (i.e., the protein must obtain the correct ‘topology’). The conventional model for this process suggests that topology is fixed when the first transmembrane domain of a protein is initially integrated into the membrane, while the ribosome is still building the protein. This model can explain most integral membrane proteins, which only have a single topology. However, it cannot explain the family of membrane proteins that have an almost equal chance of adopting one of two different topologies (so-called ‘dual-topology proteins’).

Van Lehn et al. have now used computer modeling to simulate how a bacterial protein called EmrE (which is a dual-topology protein) integrates into the membrane via the translocon. The results reveal that a few transmembrane domains in EmrE do not fully integrate into the membrane while the ribosome is building the protein. Instead, these transmembrane domains slowly integrate after the ribosome has finished its job.

These findings contradict the conventional model and suggest that some membrane proteins only become fully integrated after the protein-building process is complete. The next step in this work is to experimentally test predictions from the computer simulations.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.08697.002

Anomalous behavior of water inside the SecY translocon

The heterotrimeric SecY translocon complex is required for the cotranslational assembly of membrane proteins in bacteria and archaea. The insertion of transmembrane (TM) segments during nascent-chain passage through the translocon is generally viewed as a simple partitioning process between the water-filled translocon and membrane lipid bilayer, suggesting that partitioning is driven by the hydrophobic effect. Indeed, the apparent free energy of partitioning of unnatural aliphatic amino acids on TM segments is proportional to accessible surface area, which is a hallmark of the hydrophobic effect [Öjemalm K, et al. (2011) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 108(31):E359-E364]. However, the apparent partitioning solvation parameter is less than one-half the value expected for simple bulk partitioning, suggesting that the water in the translocon departs from bulk behavior. To examine the state of water in a SecY translocon complex embedded in a lipid bilayer, we carried out all-atom molecular-dynamics simulations of the Pyrococcus furiosus SecYE, which was determined to be in a "primed" open state [Egea PF, Stroud RM (2010) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 107(40):17182-17187]. Remarkably, SecYE remained in this state throughout our 450-ns simulation. Water molecules within SecY exhibited anomalous diffusion, had highly retarded rotational dynamics, and aligned their dipoles along the SecY transmembrane axis. The translocon is therefore not a simple water-filled pore, which raises the question of how anomalous water behavior affects the mechanism of translocon function and, more generally, the partitioning of hydrophobic molecules. Because large water-filled cavities are found in many membrane proteins, our findings may have broader implications.

Marginally hydrophobic transmembrane α-helices shaping membrane protein folding

Cells have developed an incredible machinery to facilitate the insertion of membrane proteins into the membrane. While we have a fairly good understanding of the mechanism and determinants of membrane integration, more data is needed to understand the insertion of membrane proteins with more complex insertion and folding pathways. This review will focus on marginally hydrophobic transmembrane helices and their influence on membrane protein folding. These weakly hydrophobic transmembrane segments are by themselves not recognized by the translocon and therefore rely on local sequence context for membrane integration. How can such segments reside within the membrane? We will discuss this in the light of features found in the protein itself as well as the environment it resides in. Several characteristics in proteins have been described to influence the insertion of marginally hydrophobic helices. Additionally, the influence of biological membranes is significant. To begin with, the actual cost for having polar groups within the membrane may not be as high as expected; the presence of proteins in the membrane as well as characteristics of some amino acids may enable a transmembrane helix to harbor a charged residue. The lipid environment has also been shown to directly influence the topology as well as membrane boundaries of transmembrane helices-implying a dynamic relationship between membrane proteins and their environment.

Lateral opening of the bacterial translocon on ribosome binding and signal peptide insertion

Proteins are co-translationally inserted into the bacterial plasma membrane via the SecYEG translocon by lateral release of hydrophobic transmembrane segments into the phospholipid bilayer. The trigger for lateral opening of the translocon is not known. Here we monitor lateral opening by photo-induced electron transfer (PET) between two fluorophores attached to the two SecY helices at the rim of the gate. In the resting translocon, the fluorescence is quenched, consistent with a closed conformation. Ribosome binding to the translocon diminishes PET quenching, indicating opening of the gate. The effect is larger with ribosomes exposing hydrophobic transmembrane segments and vanishes at low temperature. We propose a temperature-dependent dynamic equilibrium between closed and open conformations of the translocon that is shifted towards partially and fully open by ribosome binding and insertion of a hydrophobic peptide, respectively. The combined effects of ribosome and peptide binding allow for co-translational membrane insertion of successive transmembrane segments.

Integral membrane proteins laterally partition from the SecYEG translocon into the phospholipid bilayer. Here, the authors use photo-induced electron transfer to show that ribosome binding induces the opening of the lateral gate, and demonstrate that lateral opening does not happen at low temperature.

An allosteric Sec61 inhibitor traps nascent transmembrane helices at the lateral gate

Membrane protein biogenesis requires the coordinated movement of hydrophobic transmembrane domains (TMD) from the cytosolic vestibule of the Sec61 channel into the lipid bilayer. Molecular insight into TMD integration has been hampered by the difficulty of characterizing intermediates during this intrinsically dynamic process. In this study, we show that cotransin, a substrate-selective Sec61 inhibitor, traps nascent TMDs in the cytosolic vestibule, permitting detailed interrogation of an early pre-integration intermediate. Site-specific crosslinking revealed the pre-integrated TMD docked to Sec61 near the cytosolic tip of the lateral gate. Escape from cotransin-arrest depends not only on cotransin concentration, but also on the biophysical properties of the TMD. Genetic selection of cotransin-resistant cancer cells uncovered multiple mutations clustered near the lumenal plug of Sec61α, thus revealing cotransin’s likely site of action. Our results suggest that TMD/lateral gate interactions facilitate TMD transfer into the membrane, a process that is allosterically modulated by cotransin binding to the plug.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01483.001

Cells are surrounded by a plasma membrane that acts like a barrier around the cell—keeping the cell’s boundaries distinct from surrounding cells and helping to regulate the contents of the cell. This plasma membrane is made up mostly of two layers of fatty molecules, and is also studded with proteins. Some of these membrane proteins act as channels that allow nutrients and other chemicals to enter and leave the cell, while others allow the cell to communicate with other cells and the outside environment.

Like all proteins, membrane proteins are chains of amino acids that are linked together by a molecular machine called a ribosome. The ribosomes that make membrane proteins are located on the outside of a membrane-enclosed compartment within the cell called the endoplasmic reticulum. To eventually become embedded within a membrane, a new protein must—at the same time as it is being built—enter a channel within the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum. The newly synthesized protein chain enters this channel, called Sec61, via an entrance near the ribosome and then threads its way toward the inside of the endoplasmic reticulum. However, there is also a ‘side-gate’ in Sec61 that allows specific segments the new protein to escape the channel and become embedded within the membrane. From here, the membrane protein can be trafficked to other destinations within the cell, including the plasma membrane. However, how the newly forming protein chain passes through the side-gate of Sec61 is not well understood.

Now MacKinnon, Paavilainen et al. have used a small molecule called cotransin—which is known to interfere with the passage of proteins through Sec61—to observe the interactions between the Sec61 channel and the new protein. Cotransin appears to trap the new protein chain within the Sec61 channel by essentially ‘locking’ the side-gate.

MacKinnon, Paavilainen et al. observed that the trapped protein interacts with the inside of the channel at the end closest to the ribosome—which is the likely location of the side-gate. In contrast, cotransin likely binds at the other end of the channel, to a piece of Sec61 that serves to plug the exit into the endoplasmic reticulum; and this plug is directly connected to the side-gate. By preventing the plug from moving out of the way, cotransin can somehow stop the new protein from passing through the side-gate. However, MacKinnon, Paavilainen et al. did find that some membrane proteins with certain physical and chemical properties could get through the gate, despite the presence of cotransin. The next challenge is to resolve exactly how interactions between cotransin and the Sec61 plug can block the escape of new proteins into the membrane.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01483.002

Functional asymmetry within the Sec61p translocon

The Sec61 translocon forms a pore to translocate polypeptide sequences across the membrane and offers a lateral gate for membrane integration of hydrophobic (H) segments. A central constriction of six apolar residues has been shown to form a seal, but also to determine the hydrophobicity threshold for membrane integration: Mutation of these residues in yeast Sec61p to glycines, serines, aspartates, or lysines lowered the hydrophobicity required for integration; mutation to alanines increased it. Whereas four leucines distributed in an oligo-alanine H segment were sufficient for 50% integration, we now find four leucines in the N-terminal half of the H segment to produce significantly more integration than in the C-terminal half, suggesting functional asymmetry within the translocon. Scanning a cluster of three leucines through an oligo-alanine H segment showed high integration levels, except around the position matching that of the hydrophobic constriction in the pore where integration was strongly reduced. Both asymmetry and the position effect of H-segment integration disappeared upon mutation of the constriction residues to glycines or serines, demonstrating that hydrophobicity at this position within the translocon is responsible for the phenomenon. Asymmetry was largely retained, however, when constriction residues were replaced by alanines. These results reflect on the integration mechanism of transmembrane domains and show that membrane insertion of H segments strongly depends not only on their intrinsic hydrophobicity but also on the local conditions in the translocon interior. Thus, the contribution of hydrophobic residues in the H segment is not simply additive and displays cooperativeness depending on their relative position.

On the nature of the apparent free energy of inserting amino acids into membrane through the translocon

The nature of the biological free energy scale (ΔGapp), obtained from translocon mediated insertion studies, has been a major puzzle and the subject of major controversies. Part of the problem has been the complexity of the insertion process that discouraged workers from considering the feasible kinetics schemes and left the possible impression that ΔGapp presents some simple partition. Here we extend and clarify our recent analysis of the insertion problem using well-defined kinetics schemes and a free energy profile. We point out that although the rate constants of some steps are far from being obvious, it is essential to consider explicitly such schemes in order to advance in analyzing the meaning of ΔGapp. It is then shown that under some equilibrium conditions the kinetics scheme leads to a simple formula that allows one to relate ΔGapp to the actual free energy of partitioning between the water, the membrane, and the translocon. Other options are also considered (including limits with irreversible transitions that can be described by linear free energy relationships (LFERs)). It is concluded that it is unlikely that a kinetics plus thermodynamic based analysis can lead to a result that identifies ΔGapp with the partition between the membrane and the translocon. Thus, we argue that unless such analysis is presented, it is unjustified to assume that ΔGapp corresponds to the membrane translocon equilibrium or to some other arbitrary definition. Furthermore, we point out that the presumption that it is sufficient to just calculate the PMF for going from the translocon (TR) to the membrane and then to assume irreversible diffusive motion to water and for further entrance to the membrane is not a valid analysis. Overall, we point out that it is important to try to relate ΔGapp to a well-defined kinetics scheme (regardless of the complication of the system) in order to determine whether the energies of inserting positively charged residues to the membrane are related to the corresponding ΔGapp. It is also suggested that deviations from our simple formula for equilibrium conditions can help in identifying and analyzing kinetics barriers.

Reconciling the roles of kinetic and thermodynamic factors in membrane-protein insertion

For the vast majority of membrane proteins, insertion into a membrane is not direct, but rather is catalyzed by a protein-conducting channel, the translocon. This channel provides a lateral exit into the bilayer while simultaneously offering a pathway into the aqueous lumen. The determinants of a nascent protein’s choice between these two pathways are not comprehensively understood, although both energetic and kinetic factors have been observed. To elucidate the specific roles of some of these factors, we have carried out extensive all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of different nascent transmembrane segments embedded in a ribosome-bound bacterial translocon, SecY. Simulations on the μs time scale reveal a spontaneous motion of the substrate segment into the membrane or back into the channel, depending on its hydrophobicity. Potential of mean force (PMF) calculations confirm that the observed motion is the result of local free-energy differences between channel and membrane. Based on these and other PMFs, the time-dependent probability of membrane insertion is determined and is shown to mimic a two-state partition scheme with an apparent free energy that is compressed relative to the molecular-level PMFs. It is concluded that insertion kinetics underlies the experimentally observed thermodynamic partitioning process.

Multiscale molecular dynamics simulations of membrane proteins

The time and length scales accessible by biomolecular simulations continue to increase. This is in part due to improvements in algorithms and computing performance, but is also the result of the emergence of coarse-grained (CG) potentials, which complement and extend the information obtainable from fully detailed models. CG methods have already proven successful for a range of applications that benefit from the ability to rapidly simulate spontaneous self-assembly within a lipid membrane environment, including the insertion and/or oligomerization of a range of "toy models," transmembrane peptides, and single- and multi-domain proteins. While these simplified approaches sacrifice atomistic level detail, it is now straightforward to "reverse map" from CG to atomistic descriptions, providing a strategy to assemble membrane proteins within a lipid environment, prior to all-atom simulation. Moreover, recent developments have been made in "dual resolution" techniques, allowing different molecules in the system to be modeled with atomistic or CG resolution simultaneously.

Exploring the nature of the translocon-assisted protein insertion

The elucidation of the molecular nature of the translocon-assisted protein insertion is a challenging problem due to the complexity of this process. Furthermore, the limited availability of crucial structural information makes it hard to interpret the hints about the insertion mechanism provided by biochemical studies. At present, it is not practical to explore the insertion process by brute force simulation approaches due to the extremely lengthy process and very complex landscape. Thus, this work uses our previously developed coarse-grained model and explores the energetics of the membrane insertion and translocation paths. The trend in the calculated free-energy profiles is verified by evaluating the correlation between the calculated and observed effect of mutations as well as the effect of inverting the signal peptide that reflects the "positive-inside" rule. Furthermore, the effect of the tentative opening induced by the ribosome is found to reduce the kinetic barrier. Significantly, the trend of the forward and backward energy barriers provides a powerful way to analyze key energetics information. Thus, it is concluded that the insertion process is most likely a nonequilibrium process. Moreover, we provided a general formulation for the analysis of the elusive apparent membrane insertion energy, ΔG(app), and conclude that this important parameter is unlikely to correspond to the free-energy difference between the translocon and membrane. Our formulation seems to resolve the controversy about ΔG(app) for Arg.

Long-timescale dynamics and regulation of Sec-facilitated protein translocation

We present a coarse-grained modeling approach that spans the nanosecond- to minute-timescale dynamics of cotranslational protein translocation. The method enables direct simulation of both integral membrane protein topogenesis and transmembrane domain (TM) stop-transfer efficiency. Simulations reveal multiple kinetic pathways for protein integration, including a mechanism in which the nascent protein undergoes slow-timescale reorientation, or flipping, in the confined environment of the translocon channel. Competition among these pathways gives rise to the experimentally observed dependence of protein topology on ribosomal translation rate and protein length. We further demonstrate that sigmoidal dependence of stop-transfer efficiency on TM hydrophobicity arises from local equilibration of the TM across the translocon lateral gate, and it is predicted that slowing ribosomal translation yields decreased stop-transfer efficiency in long proteins. This work reveals the balance between equilibrium and nonequilibrium processes in protein targeting, and it provides insight into the molecular regulation of the Sec translocon.

Assembly and Stability of α-Helical Membrane Proteins

Grease to grease - this is how one might begin to describe the tendency of hydrophobic stretches in protein amino acid sequences to form transmembrane domains. While this simple rule contains a lot of truth, the mechanisms of membrane protein folding, the insertion of hydrophobic protein domains into the lipid bilayer, and the apparent existence of highly polar residues in some proteins in the hydrophobic membrane core are subjects of lively debate - an indication that many details remain unresolved. Here, we present a historical survey of recent insights from experiments and computational studies into the rules and mechanisms of α-helical membrane protein assembly and stability.

Direct simulation of early-stage Sec-facilitated protein translocation

Direct simulations reveal key mechanistic features of early-stage protein translocation and membrane integration via the Sec-translocon channel. We present a novel computational protocol that combines non-equilibrium growth of the nascent protein with microsecond timescale molecular dynamics trajectories. Analysis of multiple, long timescale simulations elucidates molecular features of protein insertion into the translocon, including signal-peptide docking at the translocon lateral gate (LG), large lengthscale conformational rearrangement of the translocon LG helices, and partial membrane integration of hydrophobic nascent-protein sequences. Furthermore, the simulations demonstrate the role of specific molecular interactions in the regulation of protein secretion, membrane integration, and integral membrane protein topology. Salt-bridge contacts between the nascent-protein N-terminus, cytosolic translocon residues, and phospholipid head groups are shown to favor conformations of the nascent protein upon early-stage insertion that are consistent with the Type II (N(cyt)/C(exo)) integral membrane protein topology, and extended hydrophobic contacts between the nascent protein and the membrane lipid bilayer are shown to stabilize configurations that are consistent with the Type III (N(exo)/C(cyt)) topology. These results provide a detailed, mechanistic basis for understanding experimentally observed correlations between integral membrane protein topology, translocon mutagenesis, and nascent-protein sequence.

The bacterial Sec-translocase: structure and mechanism

Most bacterial secretory proteins pass across the cytoplasmic membrane via the translocase, which consists of a protein-conducting channel SecYEG and an ATP-dependent motor protein SecA. The ancillary SecDF membrane protein complex promotes the final stages of translocation. Recent years have seen a major advance in our understanding of the structural and biochemical basis of protein translocation, and this has led to a detailed model of the translocation mechanism.

Conformational dynamics of the plug domain of the SecYEG protein-conducting channel

The central pore of the SecYEG preprotein-conducting channel is closed at the periplasmic face of the membrane by a plug domain. To study its conformational dynamics, the plug was labeled site-specifically with an environment-sensitive fluorophore. In the presence of a stable preprotein translocation inter-mediate, the SecY plug showed an enhanced solvent exposure consistent with a displacement from the hydrophobic central pore region. In contrast, binding and insertion of a ribosome-bound nascent membrane protein did not alter the plug conformation. These data indicate different plug dynamics depending on the ligand bound state of the SecYEG channel.

Hydrophobicity scales: a thermodynamic looking glass into lipid-protein interactions

The partitioning of amino acid sidechains into the membrane is a key aspect of membrane protein folding. However, lipid bilayers exhibit rapidly changing physicochemical properties over their nanometer-scale thickness, which complicates understanding the thermodynamics and microscopic details of membrane partitioning. Recent data from diverse approaches, including protein insertion by the Sec translocon, folding of a small beta-barrel membrane protein and computer simulations of the exact distribution of a variety of small molecules and peptides, have joined older hydrophobicity scales for membrane protein prediction. We examine the correlations among the scales and find that they are remarkably correlated even though there are large differences in magnitude. We discuss the implications of these scales for understanding membrane protein structure and function.

Free-energy cost for translocon-assisted insertion of membrane proteins

Nascent membrane proteins typically insert in a sequential fashion into the membrane via a protein-conducting channel, the Sec translocon. How this process occurs is still unclear, although a thermodynamic partitioning between the channel and the membrane environment has been proposed. Experiment- and simulation-based scales for the insertion free energy of various amino acids are, however, at variance, the former appearing to lie in a narrower range than the latter. Membrane insertion of arginine, for instance, requires 14-17 kcal/mol according to molecular dynamics simulations, but only 2-3 kcal/mol according to experiment. We suggest that this disagreement is resolved by assuming a two-stage insertion process wherein the first step, the insertion into the translocon, is energized by protein synthesis and, therefore, has an effectively zero free-energy cost; the second step, the insertion into the membrane, invokes the translocon as an intermediary between the fully hydrated and the fully inserted locations. Using free-energy perturbation calculations, the effective transfer free energies from the translocon to the membrane have been determined for both arginine and leucine amino acids carried by a background polyleucine helix. Indeed, the insertion penalty for arginine as well as the insertion gain for leucine from the translocon to the membrane is found to be significantly reduced compared to direct insertion from water, resulting in the same compression as observed in the experiment-based scale.

Chemical versus mechanical perturbations on the protonation state of arginine in complex lipid membranes: insights from microscopic pKa calculations

Charged amino acids such as Arginine play important roles in many membrane-mediated biological processes such as voltage gating of ion channels and membrane translocation of cell penetration peptides. It is well established that local membrane deformation and formation of water defects are crucial to the stabilization of charged species in contact with the membrane, which suggests that mechanical properties of the membrane are relevant although a clear connection has not been established. As a quantitative measure, we study how changes in the composition and therefore mechanical properties of a lipid bilayer influence the pK(a) of Arg in the membrane center using free energy simulations. Compared to previous studies in a single-component lipid bilayer containing saturated lipids or lipids with a modest degree of unsaturation, substantially larger pK(a) shifts are observed in the presence of highly unsaturated lipid tails and cholesterol. Moreover, the underlying molecular mechanisms for the pK(a) perturbation are distinct in different systems, with the unsaturated lipid tails mainly destabilizing the charged state of Arg and the cholesterol stabilizing the neutral state of Arg. The observed behaviors in both cases are at odds with predictions based on mechanical considerations at a mesoscopic level--highlighting that, while mechanical considerations are useful for stimulating hypothesis, their applicability to dissecting phenomena at the molecular-length scale is rather limited.

Protein conducting nanopores

About 50% of the cellular proteins have to be transported into or across cellular membranes. This transport is an essential step in the protein biosynthesis. In eukaryotic cells secretory proteins are transported into the endoplasmic reticulum before they are transported in vesicles to the plasma membrane. Almost all proteins of the endosymbiotic organelles chloroplasts and mitochondria are synthesized on cytosolic ribosomes and posttranslationally imported. Genetic, biochemical and biophysical approaches led to rather detailed knowledge on the composition of the translocon-complexes which catalyze the membrane transport of the preproteins. Comprehensive concepts on the targeting and membrane transport of polypeptides emerged, however little detail on the molecular nature and mechanisms of the protein translocation channels comprising nanopores has been achieved. In this paper we will highlight recent developments of the diverse protein translocation systems and focus particularly on the common biophysical properties and functions of the protein conducting nanopores. We also provide a first analysis of the interaction between the genuine protein conducting nanopore Tom40(SC) as well as a mutant Tom40(SC) (S(54 --> E) containing an additional negative charge at the channel vestibule and one of its native substrates, CoxIV, a mitochondrial targeting peptide. The polypeptide induced a voltage-dependent increase in the frequency of channel closure of Tom40(SC) corresponding to a voltage-dependent association rate, which was even more pronounced for the Tom40(SC) S54E mutant. The corresponding dwelltime reflecting association/transport of the peptide could be determined with t(off) approximately = 1.1 ms for the wildtype, whereas the mutant Tom40(SC) S54E displayed a biphasic dwelltime distribution (t(off)(-1) approximately = 0.4 ms; t(off)(-2) approximately = 4.6 ms).

The energetics of transmembrane helix insertion into a lipid bilayer

Free energy profiles for insertion of a hydrophobic transmembrane protein α-helix (M2 from CFTR) into a lipid bilayer have been calculated using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations and umbrella sampling to yield potentials of mean force along a reaction path corresponding to translation of a helix across a lipid bilayer. The calculated free energy of insertion is smaller when a bilayer with a thinner hydrophobic region is used. The free energies of insertion from the potentials of mean force are compared with those derived from a number of hydrophobicity scales and with those derived from translocon-mediated insertion. This comparison supports recent models of translocon-mediated insertion and in particular suggests that: 1), helices in an about-to-be-inserted state may be located in a hydrophobic region somewhat thinner than the core of a lipid bilayer; and/or 2), helices in a not-to-be-inserted state may experience an environment more akin (e.g., in polarity/hydrophobicity) to the bilayer/water interface than to bulk water.

On the energetics of translocon-assisted insertion of charged transmembrane helices into membranes

The understanding of the mechanism of insertion of transmembrane (TM) helixes through the translocon presents a major open challenge. Although the experimental information about the partition of the inserted helices between the membrane and the solution contains crucial information about this process, it is not clear how to extract this information. In particular, it is not clear how to rationalize the small apparent insertion energy, ΔG(app), of an ionized residue in the center of a TM helix. Here we explore the nature of the insertion energies, asking what should be the value of these parameters if their measurements represent equilibrium conditions. This is done using a coarse-grained model with advanced electrostatic treatment. Estimating the energetics of ionized arginine of a TM helix in the presence of neighboring helixes or the translocon provides a rationale for the observed ΔG(app) of ionized residues. It is concluded that the apparent insertion free energy of TM with charged residues reflects probably more than just the free energy of moving the isolate single helix from water into the membrane. The present approach should be effective not only in exploring the mechanism of the operation of the translocon but also for studies of other membrane proteins.

The Sec translocase

The vast majority of proteins trafficking across or into the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane occur via the translocon. The translocon consists of the SecYEG complex that forms an evolutionarily conserved heterotrimeric protein-conducting membrane channel that functions in conjunction with a variety of ancillary proteins. For posttranslational protein translocation, the translocon interacts with the cytosolic motor protein SecA that drives the ATP-dependent stepwise translocation of unfolded polypeptides across the membrane. For the cotranslational integration of membrane proteins, the translocon interacts with ribosome-nascent chain complexes and membrane insertion is coupled to polypeptide chain elongation at the ribosome. These processes are assisted by the YidC and SecDF(yajC) complex that transiently interacts with the translocon. This review summarizes our current understanding of the structure-function relationship of the translocon and its interactions with ancillary components during protein translocation and membrane protein insertion. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Protein translocation across or insertion into membranes.

The hydrophobic core of the Sec61 translocon defines the hydrophobicity threshold for membrane integration

Mutation of the apolar constriction of the yeast Sec61 translocon to polar or charged residues, while retaining functionality, affected the integration of potential transmembrane segments into the lipid bilayer. This indicates that the translocon plays an active role in setting the hydrophobicity threshold for membrane integration.

The Sec61 translocon mediates the translocation of proteins across the endoplasmic reticulum membrane and the lateral integration of transmembrane segments into the lipid bilayer. The structure of the idle translocon is closed by a lumenal plug domain and a hydrophobic constriction ring. To test the function of the apolar constriction, we have mutated all six ring residues of yeast Sec61p to more hydrophilic, bulky, or even charged amino acids (alanines, glycines, serines, tryptophans, lysines, or aspartates). The translocon was found to be surprisingly tolerant even to the charge mutations in the constriction ring, because growth and translocation efficiency were not drastically affected. Most interestingly, ring mutants were found to affect the integration of hydrophobic sequences into the lipid bilayer, indicating that the translocon does not simply catalyze the partitioning of potential transmembrane segments between an aqueous environment and the lipid bilayer but that it also plays an active role in setting the hydrophobicity threshold for membrane integration.