Final answer:
Cytosolic proteins typically do not have sorting signals and remain in the cytosol to become functional after synthesis, as opposed to proteins with specific sorting signals that are directed to different cellular compartments or the extracellular environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Do Proteins in the Cytosol Have Sorting Signals?
Proteins that function in the cytosol are generally synthesized on free ribosomes in the cytoplasm and do not have traditional sorting signals that direct them to enter the endomembrane system. Instead, the lack of a signal sequence allows these proteins to remain in the cytosol where they will become functional. Proteins destined for other locations, such as secreted proteins, membrane proteins, and those that will end up inside organelles, have specific sorting signals and are typically synthesized on bound ribosomes associated with the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER). After their synthesis, they may go through the Golgi apparatus and be directed to their final locations. In contrast, cytosolic proteins are directly functional or undergo folding and modifications in the cytoplasm without being routed through the endomembrane system.