Intracellular Compartments

and Protein Sorting

 The major intracellular
compartments of an animal cell
Relative Volumes Occupied by the Major
Intracellular Compartments

INTRACELLULAR COMPARTMENT PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL

CELL VOLUME

Cytosol 54
Mitochondria 22
Rough ER cisternae 9
Smooth ER cisternae plus Golgi 6
cisternae
Nucleus 6
Peroxisomes 1
Lysosomes 1
Endosomes 1
An electron micrograph
 Hypothetical schemes for the
evolutionary origins of some organelles
 Four distinct families

1) the nucleus and the cytosol, which communicate through

nuclear pore complexes and are thus topologically
continuous (although functionally distinct);

2) all organelles that function in the secretory and endocytic

pathways, including the ER, Golgi apparatus, endosomes,
lysosomes, the numerous classes of transport intermediates
such as transport vesicles, and possibly peroxisomes;

3) the mitochondria;

4) the plastids (in plants only).

Protein traffic
Sorting sequences
Some sorting sequences
Protein traffic
Nuclear pore complexes
Nuclear Envelope
 Nuclear lamina
• Consists of "intermediate filaments", 30-100 nm thick.

• These intermediate filaments are polymers of lamin,

ranging from 60-75 kD.

• A-type lamins are inside, next to nucleoplasm; B-type

lamins are near the nuclear membrane (inner).

• The lamins may be involved in the functional

organization of the nucleus.
Nuclear localization signals
(NLSs)
Protein import through nuclear pores
Possible paths for free diffusion through
the nuclear pore complex
Nuclear Import / Export Receptors
The control of nuclear import
during T-cell activation
 The breakdown and re-formation of
the nuclear envelope during mitosis
 The subcompartments of
mitochondria and chloroplasts
 A signal sequence for
mitochondrial protein import
Protein translocators in the
mitochondrial membra
Protein import by mitochondria
Energy required
Translocation
of a precursor
protein into
the thylakoid
space of
chloroplasts
The Endoplasmic Reticulum
Free and membrane-bound
ribosomes
The signal hypothesis
The signal-recognition particle
(SRP)
SRP direct ribosomes to the ER
membrane
Protein translocation
Single-pass transmembrane protein
Multipass membrane protein
rhodopsin
Protein glycosylation in the
rough ER
The export and degradation of
misfolded ER proteins
Phospholipid exchange proteins