The globular domain of the protein is one of the proteins that surrounds the polypeptide exit tunnel on the outside of the subunit, while an extended beta-hairpin is found that penetrates into the center of the 70S ribosome where it lines the wall of the exit tunnel. Removal of most of this hairpin (residues 85-95) does not prevent its incorporation into 70S ribosomes. Two of the hairpin residues (91 and 93) seem to be involved in translation elongation arrest of the SecM protein, as their replacement by larger amino acids alleviates the arrest.