Dislocation and degradation of proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum

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This volume of Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology features seven chapters that explore various aspects of protein genesis and fate in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), an area of significant medical relevance. The research has flourished partly due to the study of molecules essential for immune function, such as immunoglobulins, T cell receptors, and MHC-encoded products. Additionally, the strategies employed by bacteria and viruses to establish themselves in hosts have revealed new cell biological principles. Thus, it is fitting to focus on the relationship between protein degradation pathways in the ER and various pathogens. The concept of quality control became evident with the understanding that unpaired glycoprotein subunits, particularly in multimeric forms, struggle to exit the ER and are subsequently degraded. Free immunoglobulin heavy chains were among the first documented examples of this phenomenon, known to cause pathology when their accumulation is unchecked. Enhanced understanding of glycoprotein biosynthetic pathways has highlighted the ER as a critical site for quality control decisions. The T cell receptor for antigen has been pivotal in these early investigations, serving as a model for this degradation process.