Mitochondrial protein import: Common principles and physiological networks

07.06.2012

Dudek J, Rehling P, van der Laan M

Biochim Biophys Acta. 2013 Feb;1833(2):274-85

Biochim Biophys Acta          online article

By far the most mitochondrial proteins are encoded by nuclear genes and synthesized as precursors by cytosolic ribosomes. These precursors contain specific targeting information in their primary structure that guides them to mitochondria and subsequently to the different mitochondrial compartments: outer membrane, inner membrane, intermembrane space, and matrix. Protein translocases of the inner and outer mitochondrial membranes mediate the efficient and highly specific submitochondrial protein sorting. We describe the basic principles of protein translocation across and protein insertion into mitochondrial membranes and explain how protein translocases of different mitochondrial membranes cooperate with each other in these processes. Recent studies have shed a first light on the intriguing connections between  mitochondrial protein sorting and other fundamental processes of cell physiology, like respiration, phospholipid metabolism, shaping and communication of organelles, and signal transduction.