Carb loading takes proteins on a ride.

Cytoplasmic protein O-glycosylation in bacteria is often required for protein maturation, but the dependence of protein export on carbohydrate modifications is less understood. In the current issue of JBC, Chen et al. describe the mechanism for posttranslational modification of a Streptococcus gordonii adhesin and its delivery to the membrane, leading to the first comprehensive model featuring the interplay of glycosyltransferases and the translocation system.