Review
Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 2, 339-349 (May 2001) | doi:10.1038/35073006
Versatility of the mitochondrial protein import machinery
Nikolaus Pfanner1 & Andreas Geissler1 About the authors
Abstract
The vast majority of mitochondrial proteins are synthesized in the cytosol and are imported into mitochondria by protein machineries located in the mitochondrial membranes. It has become clear that hydrophilic as well as hydrophobic preproteins use a common translocase in the outer mitochondrial membrane, but diverge to two distinct translocases in the inner membrane. The translocases are dynamic, high-molecular-weight complexes that have to provide specific means for the recognition of preproteins, channel formation and generation of import-driving forces.
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Author affiliations
- Institut für Biochemie und Molekularbiologie, Universität Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Strasse 7, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany.
Correspondence to: Email: pfanner@uni-freiburg.de
