Medical Definition of Signal peptide

1. A peptide present on proteins that are destined either to be secreted or to be membrane components. It is usually at the N terminus and normally absent from the mature protein. Normally refers to the sequence (ca 20 amino acids) that interacts with signal recognition particle and directs the ribosome to the endoplasmic reticulum where co translational insertion takes place. Could also refer to sequences that direct post translational uptake by organelles. Signal peptides are highly hydrophobic but with some positively charged residues. The signal sequence is normally removed from the growing peptide chain by signal peptidase, a specific protease located on the cisternal face of the endoplasmic reticulum. See: signal recognition particle. This entry appears with permission from the Dictionary of Cell and Molecular Biology (11 Mar 2008)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Signal Peptide

signal/noise
signal/noise ratio
signal box
signal boxes
signal caller
signal crayfish
signal detection
signal detection (psychology)
signal fire
signal flag
signal level
signal light
signal node
signal peptidase
signal peptidase complex
signal peptide (current term)
signal peptide p25-subunit IV cytochrome oxidase
signal peptides
signal phrase
signal phrases
signal power
signal recognition particle
signal recognition particle receptor
signal response coupling
signal sequence
signal transduction
signal void
signaled
signaler
signalers

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