An expanding universe of small proteins

• Published in: Current opinion in microbiology Vol. 14; no. 2; pp. 167 - 173
• Main Authors: Hobbs, Errett C, Fontaine, Fanette, Yin, Xuefeng, Storz, Gisela
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-04-2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: amino acids; antibiotics; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides - metabolism; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Bacterial Toxins - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Gram-Negative Bacteria - metabolism; Gram-positive bacteria; Gram-Positive Bacteria - metabolism; mechanism of action; Membrane Proteins - metabolism; Microbiology; Molecular Chaperones - metabolism; Pathology; Signal Transduction; structural proteins; toxins; Protein; Review
• ISSN: 1369-5274; 1879-0364
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2011.01.007

Historically, small proteins (sproteins) of less than 50 amino acids, in their final processed forms or genetically encoded as such, have been understudied. However, both serendipity and more recent focused efforts have led to the identification of a number of new sproteins in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Increasing evidence demonstrates that sproteins participate in a wide array of cellular processes and exhibit great diversity in their mechanisms of action, yet general principles of sprotein function are emerging. This review highlights examples of sproteins that participate in cell signaling, act as antibiotics and toxins, and serve as structural proteins. We also describe roles for sproteins in detecting and altering membrane features, acting as chaperones, and regulating the functions of larger proteins.