Biogenesis of peroxisomes.

The GET Complex Mediates Insertion of Tail-Anchored Proteins into the ER Membrane

Two cDNA clones for rat heme oxygenase have been isolated from a rat spleen cDNA library in lambda gt11 by immunological screening using a specific polyclonal antibody. One of these clones has an insert of 1530 nucleotides that contains the entire protein-coding region. To confirm that the isolated cDNA encodes heme oxygenase, we transfected monkey kidney cells (COS-7) with the cDNA carried in a simian virus 40 vector. The heme oxygenase was highly expressed in endoplasmic reticulum of transfected cells. The nucleotide sequence of the cloned cDNA was determined and the primary structure of heme oxygenase was deduced. Heme oxygenase is composed of 289 amino acids and has one hydrophobic segment at its carboxyl terminus, which is probably important for the insertion of heme oxygenase into endoplasmic reticulum. The cloned cDNA was used to analyze the induction of heme oxygenase in rat liver by treatment with CoCl2 or with hemin. RNA blot analysis showed that both CoCl2 and hemin increased the amount of hybridizable mRNA, suggesting that these substances may act at the transcriptional level to increase the amount of heme oxygenase.

https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/82/23/7865.full.pdf

Cloning and expression of cDNA for rat heme oxygenase.

A class of membrane proteins with a C-terminal anchor

The manner of synthesis and assembly of the peroxisomal membrane proteins is unknown. Understanding these processes is essential to an understanding of the formation of the organelle. We have investigated the biogenesis of the previously identified major 21.7-kDa integral peroxisomal membrane polypeptide [Fujiki, Y., Fowler, S., Shio, H., Hubbard, A. L. & Lazarow, P. B. (1982) J. Cell Biol. 93, 103-110]. This protein was purified to apparent homogeneity and used to elicit a rabbit antiserum. In immunoblotting analysis, antibody bound only to the 22-kDa membrane polypeptide present exclusively in peroxisomal membranes. Total rat liver RNA was translated in a nuclease-treated rabbit reticulocyte cell-free protein-synthesizing system. The in vitro translation product, isolated by means of the antibody and Staphylococcus aureus cells, comigrated with the mature 22-kDa polypeptide in NaDodSO4/PAGE. Analysis of the translation products of RNAs from free and membrane-bound polysomes indicated that the mRNA for the 22-kDa membrane polypeptide is found predominantly in free polysomes. The results imply post-translational insertion of the membrane polypeptide into the peroxisomal membrane without proteolytic processing and suggest that peroxisomes, like mitochondria and chloroplasts, form by fission from preexisting organelles.

https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/81/22/7127.full.pdf

Synthesis of a major integral membrane polypeptide of rat liver peroxisomes on free polysomes

Free and membrane-bound polyribosomes were separated from liver homogenates and characterized by electron microscopy. Using the wheat germ cell-free translation system, total translation products of poly A+RNA extracted from free polyribosomes (poly A+RNAf) showed some correlation to total liver cytosol proteins. In contrast, translation products of poly A+RNA from membrane-bound polyribosomes (poly A+RNAmb) showed some similarity to rat serum. Antibody to purified rat serum albumin immunoprecipitated from only the translation products of poly A+RNAmb a single polypeptide of mol wt 68,000. i.e., 3,000 greater than secreted serum albumin. In contrast, antibody to detergent-extracted cytochrome b5 immunoprecipitated from only the translation products of poly A+RNAf a single polypeptide of mol wt 17,500, identical to that of microsomal cytochrome b5. A consideration of the known properties of cytochrome b5 is consistent with an exclusive site of synthesis on free ribosomes.

https://rupress.org/jcb/article-pdf/84/3/705/1401042/705.pdf

J J Bergeron

Papers

Synthesis of rat liver microsomal cytochrome b5 by free ribosomes.