Important role of the proline residue in the signal sequence that directs the secretion of human lysozyme in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

To elucidate the role of the proline residue in the engineered signal sequence that directs the secretion of human lysozyme in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we have remodeled an idealized signal sequence L8 = Met-Arg-(Leu)8-Pro-Leu-Ala-Ala-Leu-Gly [Yamamoto, Y., Taniyama, Y., Kikuchi, M., & Ikehara, M. (1987) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 149, 431-436] in the vicinity of the proline residue. By analyzing the secretory capability of 10 engineered signal sequences, we have shown the following. (1) The proline residue is important for the secretion of human lysozyme and is allowed at position -4, -5, or -6. (2) The secretory capability of the engineered signal sequences is correlated with their predicted conformations. (3) The functional signal sequences that we have investigated can be generalized as follows: Met-Arg-(Leu)n-Pro-(Xaa)-Ala-Leu-Gly where n equals 6-12 and Xaa is Leu, Ala, or Leu-Ala or can be omitted.