Nucleotide transporter in Phaeodactylum

In eukaryotic cells proteins need to be targeted to their respective subcellular compartment in order to gain full functionality. In diatoms this process is more complicated, because they possess four membranes surrounding their plastids with the outermost membrane being continuous with ER membranes. The mechanisms mediating and controlling the correct insertion of metabolite transporters into one of these four membranes are poorly understood. In recent works, the functional domains of plastid protein targeting sequences have been characterized. The goal of this project is to investigate how metabolite translocators and membrane proteins in general are integrated into the individual plastid envelope membranes. This means particularly the characterization of protein domains that are crucial for membrane specificity and for the integration of the proteins into the individual membrane.