Identification of a novel N-terminal hydrophobic sequence that targets proteins to lipid droplets.

ABSTRACT: AAM-B is a putative methyltransferase that is a resident protein of lipid droplets. We have identified an N-terminal 28 amino acid hydrophobic sequence that is necessary and sufficient for targeting the protein to droplets. This sequence will also insert AAM-B into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). A similar hydrophobic sequence (1-23) in the cytochrome p450 2C9 cannot substitute for 1-28 and only inserts AAM-B into the ER, which indicates that hydrophobicity and ER anchoring are not sufficient to reach the droplet. We found that a similar N-terminal hydrophobic sequence in cytochrome b5 reductase 3 and ALDI could also heterologously target proteins to droplets. Targeting is not affected by changing a conserved proline residue that potentially facilitates the formation of a hairpin loop to l

SUBMITTER: Zehmer JK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2849272 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature