"OPEN" STRUCTURE OF SecA PROTEIN OF ESCHERICHIA COLI IN SOLUTION

SecA protein which has a pivotal role in the preprotein cranslocation across the inner membrane of Escherichia coli is a water-soluble protein with an unusual property of penetrating the membrane readily. An interesting and important question is what structural characteristics of SecA enables its ready penetration of lipid bilayer. The conformational properties of SecA in solution at 3$0^{\circ}C$, pH 7.5 were observed by hydrogen-tritium (HT) exchange, and denaturant-induced denaturation/renaturation and thermal unfolding. (omitted)