The outer membrane protein E24 of spinach chloroplast envelope: cloning of a cDNA and topological insertion of the protein in the membrane.

A cDNA coding for the outer membrane protein E24 of spinach chloroplast envelope has been obtained by screening an expression library of spinach cDNA with polyclonal antibodies. Analysis of the protein sequence and comparison with the thermolysin susceptibility of E24 in the chloroplast in situ suggest that E24 is a transmembrane protein and show that its NH2 terminal end is located on the cytosolic side of chloroplasts.