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The strange case of the signal recognition particle

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology volume 3, pages 538–542 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

The discovery of the signal-recognition particle (SRP) and its receptor represented a huge step forwards in the study of protein translocation and secretion. Just as intriguing was the race to identify SRP, as two teams — one based in New York, the other in Heidelberg — took up the quest and scored complementary victories.

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Figure 1: Bernhard Dobberstein, Heidelberg, 1999.
Figure 2: Fractionation of Dobberstein's 'high-salt' extract of pancreatic microsomal membranes.
Figure 3: Peter Walter, Dresden, 2001.
Figure 4: David Meyer, Heidelberg, early 1980s.

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Acknowledgements

The author is grateful to G. Blobel, B. Dobberstein, L. Gerace, V. Lingappa, D. Meyer, K. Mostov, K. Simons, P. Walter and G. Warren for sharing their memories of the events described here, to B. Dobberstein for providing a representation of the salt-wash data shown in Fig. 1, to D. and E. Meyer for Fig. 4, and to N. Matlin for critically reading the manuscript.

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  1. the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, The Vontz Center, ML 0581, 3125 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, 45219-0581, Ohio, USA

    Karl S. Matlin

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FURTHER INFORMATION

EMBL: a twenty year journey through the cell

Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (Günter Blobel)

Rockefeller University Laboratory of Cell Biology

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Matlin, K. The strange case of the signal recognition particle. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 3, 538–542 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm857

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