Thirty years of protein translocation into mitochondria: unexpectedly complex and still puzzling.
Mitochondria are essential organelles of the eukaryotic cells that are made by expansion and division of pre-existing mitochondria. The majority of their protein constituents are synthesized in the cytosol. They are transported into and put together within the organelle. This complex process is facilitated by several protein translocases. Here we summarize current knowledge on these sophisticated molecular machines that mediate recognition, transport across membranes and intramitochondrial sorting of many hundreds of mitochondrial proteins.
Mokranjac
Dejana
D
Institute for Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Butenandtstr. 5, 81377 Munich, Germany.
Neupert
Walter
W
D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000378:metabolism; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D033681:Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000266:history / Q000378:metabolism*; D000090622:Mitochondrial Precursor Protein Import Complex Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D021381:Protein Transport
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D033681:Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins; D000090622:Mitochondrial Precursor Protein Import Complex Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C090858:OXA1 protein; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV