PROSITE documentation PDOC00818

Protein secE/sec61-gamma signature

In bacteria, the secE protein plays a role in protein export; it is one of the components - with secY (see <PDOC00612>) and secA - of the preprotein translocase. In eukaryotes, the evolutionary related protein sec61-γ plays a role in protein translocation through the endoplasmic reticulum; it is part of a trimeric complex that also consist of sec61-α and β [1]. Both secE and sec61-γ are small proteins of about 60 to 90 amino acids that contain a single transmembrane region at their C-terminal extremity (Escherichia coli secE is an exception, in that it possess an extra N-terminal segment of 60 residues that contains two additional transmembrane domains).

The sequence of secE/sec61-γ is not extremely well conserved, however it is possible to derive a signature pattern centered on a conserved proline located 10 residues before the beginning of the transmembrane domain.