TARGETING SIGNAL FOR INTEGRATING PROTEINS, PEPTIDES AND BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES INTO BACTERIAL MICROCOMPARTMENTS

摘要

A conserved region of sequence in bacterial microcompartment (BMC) enzymes and proteins was identified. Peptide sequences derived from this conserved region of native BMC proteins and enzymes appear to target the hexameric facets of BMC shell proteins. These peptides were predicted to share general properties of a predicted alpha helical conformation, flanked by poorly conserved segment(s) of primary structure); for each type of encapsulated protein, and for each functionally distinct BMC. These peptides can be used as targeting signals for integrating biomolecules and molecules into bacterial microcompartments or for attaching molecules or biomolecules to native or non-native bacterial microcompartment shell proteins.