The Role of Small Single Transmembrane Helix Proteins in Cyanobacteria

膜蛋白复合物在生物能量学中起着至关重要的作用，特别是在植物、藻类和蓝藻等光合生物中，因为它们在光合作用的主要反应中负责光能到化学能的转换。据分析，它们都含有多达10个小（<50 AA）蛋白，至少有一个单跨膜螺旋（sTMH蛋白）。然而，sTMH蛋白的发现和进一步表征受到其小尺寸和通常极端疏水性的严重阻碍。我们将使用两种不同的方法来阐明sTMH蛋白在蓝藻中的作用。在自上而下的方法中，我们将使用我们完善的管道纯化亲和标记的膜蛋白复合物和随后的深入质谱分析。对于自下而上的方法，我们通过硅筛选确定了潜在的sTMH候选者，并将通过生化和生物物理方法进一步分析。最终的目标将是获得有关蓝藻中sTMH蛋白的分子功能的全面知识。

Membrane protein complexes play a crucial role in bioenergetics, particularly in photosynthetic organisms like plants, algae and cyanobacteria, as they are responsible for the light-to-chemical energy conversion in the primary reactions of photosynthesis. All of them – as far as being analyzed – contain up to 10 small (<50 AA) proteins with at least one single transmembrane helix (sTMH proteins). However, the discovery and further characterization of sTMH proteins is severely hampered by their small size and often extreme hydrophobicity. We will use two different approaches to shed light on the role of sTMH proteins in cyanobacteria. In a top-down approach we will use our well-established pipeline for the purification of affinity-tagged membrane protein complexes and subsequent in-depth mass spectrometry analysis. For a bottom-up approach, we have identified potential sTMH candidates through an in silico screening, which will be further analyzed by biochemical and biophysical methods. Final goal will be to gain comprehensive knowledge about the molecular function of sTMH proteins in cyanobacteria.