Amino-terminal acetylation is probably the most common protein modification in eukaryotes with as many as 50%–80% of proteins reportedly altered in this way. Here we report a systematic analysis of the predicted N-terminal processing of cytosolic proteins versus those destined to be sorted to the secretory pathway. While cytosolic proteins were profoundly biased in favour of processing, we found an equal and opposite bias against such modification for secretory proteins. Mutations in secretory signal sequences that led to their acetylation resulted in mis-sorting to the cytosol in a manner that was dependent upon the N-terminal processing machinery. Hence N-terminal acetylation represents an early determining step in the cellular sorting of nascent polypeptides that appears to be conserved across a wide range of species. The eukaryotic cell comprises several distinct compartments, called organelles, required to perform specific functions. The proteins in these compartments are almost always synthesised in the cytoplasm and so require complex sorting mechanisms to ensure their delivery to the appropriate organelle. Of course, not all proteins need to leave the cytoplasm since many remain there to perform cytoplasmic functions. It is well known that many proteins are modified by acetylation of their amino-terminus at a very early stage in their synthesis. We have discovered a profound difference between the likelihood of such a modification on cytoplasmic proteins and on those destined for one of the major organelles, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER): whereas cytoplasmic proteins are typically acetylated, those bound for the ER are largely unmodified. Moreover, when specific ER proteins were engineered to induce their acetylation we found that their targeting to the ER was inhibited. Our data suggest that N-terminal acetylation is a major determinant in protein sorting in eukaryotes.

Signal recognition particle (SRP), together with its receptor (SR), mediates the targeting of ribosome-nascent chain complexes to the endoplasmic reticulum. Using protein cross-linking, we detected distinct modes in the binding of SRP to the ribosome. During signal peptide recognition, SRP54 is positioned at the exit site close to ribosomal proteins L23a and L35. When SRP54 contacts SR, SRP54 is rearranged such that it is no longer close to L23a. This repositioning may allow the translocon to dock with the ribosome, leading to insertion of the signal peptide into the translocation channel.

Signal sequences of secretory and membrane proteins are recognized by the signal recognition particle (SRP) as they emerge from the ribosome. This results in their targeting to the membrane by docking with the SRP receptor, which facilitates transfer of the ribosome to the translocon. Here, we present the 8 angstrom cryo–electron microscopy structure of a “docking complex” consisting of a SRP-bound 80 S ribosome and the SRP receptor. Interaction of the SRP receptor with both SRP and the ribosome rearranged the S domain of SRP such that a ribosomal binding site for the translocon, the L23e/L35 site, became exposed, whereas Alu domain–mediated elongation arrest persisted.