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Biogenesis of the mitochondrial TOM complex

2002; Elsevier BV; Volume: 27; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0968-0004(02)02065-0

1362-4326

Doron Rapaport,

RNA modifications and cancer

The translocase at the outer membrane of mitochondria (TOM complex) mediates the initial steps of the import of preproteins into the organelle, which are essential for mitochondrial biogenesis and, therefore, for eukaryotic cell viability. The TOM complex is a multisubunit molecular machine with a dynamic structure. The biogenesis of TOM is of special interest because the complex is required for its own biogenesis. This article describes the mechanisms by which Tom components are targeted to the mitochondria and inserted into the outer membrane. The assembly of newly synthesized subunits into the functional TOM complex might occur via assembly intermediates that are in equilibrium with the mature complex.