REVIEW: Late Stages of Protein Secretion in Bacilli

M. R. Sharipova

Department of Microbiology, Kazan State University, ul. Kremlevskaya 18, Kazan, 420008 Russia; E-mail: Margarita.Sharipova@ksu.ru

Received November 9, 2001; Revision received February 26, 2002

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This review highlights the later stages of protein secretion in bacilli, which include protein release from the membrane and their translocation through the cell wall. Mechanisms of release of secreted polypeptides into the medium differ in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria due to different structure of their cell envelope. Exogenous factors including molecular chaperons that can influence polypeptide folding may be also involved in later stages of protein secretion in bacilli. In Gram-positive bacteria protein secretion also depends on structural components of the cell wall. Certain evidence exists that maintenance of the secretory function is important for normal development of the sporulation process in these bacteria.

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KEY WORDS: bacilli, secretion, cell wall, metal cations, PrsA-lipoprotein, FtsH-protease, sporulation

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