Transport of prefolded proteins in bacteria: An overview on twin arginine transport pathway and its role in pathogenesis

Abstract

Soon after synthesis, proteins are transported to their respective destinations to perform various cellular activities needed for the survival of the cell. Protein trafficking is a complex process. In prokaryotes, 16 different mechanisms are involved in transporting the proteins to their respective destinations. Interestingly, except one, the rest of them transport unfolded proteins. A number of proteins acquire folded conformation before targeting/transporting across membranes. Such prefolded proteins are transported through a novel pathway, known as twin arginine transport (Tat) pathway. The Tat pathway is found in both Gram-positive as well as Gram-negative bacteria and plays a key role in various cellular activities including pathogenesis. The review provides a comprehensive picture of the mechanism of the Tat pathway and describes its role in pathogenesis.