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Nature 427, 24-26 (1 January 2004) | doi:10.1038/427024a

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Cell biology: Shape-shifting protein channel

Jordi Benach1 & John F. Hunt1

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Newly made proteins are moved across cellular membranes through a protein channel. The crystal structure of this channel is now revealed and confirms expectations that it must change shape to allow proteins to pass.

All cellular proteins are synthesized in the body of the cell, the cytosol. But many of them must then be transported through phospholipid membranes to reach their final destinations, which might be intracellular compartments or even, following secretion, outside the cell1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, 702A Fairchild Center, MC2434, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA.

Correspondence to: John F. Hunt1 Email: hunt@sid.bio.columbia.edu

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