Distant downstream sequence determinants can control N-tail translocation during protein insertion into the endoplasmic reticulum membrane.

We have studied the membrane insertion of ProW, an Escherichia coli inner membrane protein with seven transmembrane segments and a large periplasmic N-terminal tail, into endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-derived dog pancreas microsomes. Strikingly, significant levels of N-tail translocation is seen only when a minimum of four of the transmembrane segments are present; for constructs with fewer transmembrane segments, the N-tail remains mostly nontranslocated and the majority of the molecules adopt an 'inverted' topology where normally nontranslocated parts are translocated and vice versa. N-tail translocation can also be promoted by shortening of the N-tail and by the addition of positively charg…