ペルオキシソームにおけるタンパク質輸送因子Ｐｅｘ１４ｐの分子構造

Abstract

Peroxisome is an organelle in eukaryotic cells, which functions in various metabolisms such as β-oxidation of very long fatty acids. Peroxisomal matrix proteins synthesized in cytosol are imported into the peroxisome by a dynamic system consisting of over a dozen peroxins, Pex1p to Pex26p. Pex14p is a central component of the peroxisomal matrix protein import machinery. Until now, any structural information of Pex14p has not been elucidated at all. We describe here the crystal structure of the conserved domain of mammalian Pex14p at 1.8 A resolution. A hydrophobic surface is composed of the conserved residues, of which two phenylalanine residues (Phe35 and Phe52) protrude to the solvent. Consequently, two putative binding pockets suitable for recognizing the helical WxxxF/Y motif of Pex5p are formed on the surface by the two phenylalanine residues accompanying with positively charged residues. Other structural studies for peroxins are also reviewed in this report.