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  • Publication
    Métadonnées seulement
    Dimerization of Toc-GTPases at the chloroplast protein import machinery
    (2003) ;
    Hiltbrunner, Andreas
    ;
    Brand, Lukas
    ;
    Import of chloroplast precursor proteins is controlled by the coordinate action of two homologous GTPases, Toc159 and Toc33, located at the cytosol-outer membrane interface. Recent studies in Arabidopsis showed that the cytosolic form of the precursor binding protein Toc159 is targeted to its receptor at the import machinery, Toc33, via heterodimerization of their GTP-binding domains. Toc33 may also form GDP-bound homodimers, as suggested by the crystal structure of its pea ortholog. Moreover, the structural data suggested that arginine 130 ( Arg(130)) of Arabidopsis Toc33 may function as a GTPase-activating "arginine-finger" at the other monomer in the Toc33 dimer. Here, we demonstrate that Arg(130) of Toc33 does not function as an Arginine-finger. A mutant, Toc33-R130A, binds and hydrolyzes GTP like the wild type. However, we demonstrate that Arg(130) is involved in both homodimerization of Toc33 and in heterodimerization with the GTP-binding domain of Toc159. The dependence of Toc33 homodimerization on Arg(130) is mutual, requiring the presence of Arg(130) at both monomers. As the GTPase is not activated by dimerization, it may be activated independently at either monomer, possibly even before dimerization. Independent regulation of GTPase activity may serve to coordinate the interactions of the GTPases during the import of proteins into the chloroplast.
  • Publication
    Métadonnées seulement
    Targeting of an abundant cytosolic form of the protein import receptor at Toc159 to the outer chloroplast membrane
    (2001)
    Hiltbrunner, Andreas
    ;
    Bauer, Jörg
    ;
    Vidi, Pierre-Alexandre
    ;
    Infanger, Sibylle
    ;
    ;
    Hohwy, Morten
    ;
    Chloroplast biogenesis requires the large-scale import of cytosolically synthesized precursor proteins. A trimeric translocon (Toc complex) containing two homologous, GTP-binding proteins (atToc33 and atToc159) and a channel protein (atToc75) facilitates protein translocation across the outer envelope membrane. The mechanisms governing function and assembly of the Toc complex are not yet understood. This study demonstrates that atToc159 and its pea orthologue exist in an abundant, previously unrecognized soluble form, and partition between cytosol-containing soluble fractions and the chloroplast outer membrane. We show that soluble atToc159 binds directly to the cytosolic domain of atToc33 in a homotypic interaction, contributing to the integration of atToc159 into the chloroplast outer membrane. The data suggest that the function of the Toc complex involves switching of at Toc159 between a soluble and an integral membrane form.