Protein Targeting (Nobel Lecture)

The successful in vitro recapitulization of the initial events in the secretory pathway, using rough microsomes from canine pancreas and post-translational incubation with protease (see picture), was key to unraveling the process of protein targeting and opened the way for biochemical analysis of protein translocation across the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). These experiments marked the beginning of molecular cell biology. Successful in vitro reconstitution was subsequently achieved for many other membrane-coupled reactions. pLi, mLi = pre-light and mature light chain of IgG, respectively.