Mitochondrial protein import

A human mitochondrion contains about 1500 proteins, more than 99% of which are encoded in the nucleus, synthesized in the cytosol and imported into the mitochondrion. Proteins are targeted to four locations (outer membrane, intermembrane space, inner membrane, and matrix) and must be sorted accordingly (reviewed in Kutik et al. 2007, Milenkovic et al. 2007, Bolender et al. 2008, Endo and Yamano 2009, Wiedemann and Pfanner 2017, Kang et al. 2018). Newly synthesized proteins are transported from the cytosol across the outer membrane by the TOMM40:TOMM70 complex. Proteins that contain presequences first interact with the TOMM20 subunit of the complex while proteins that contain internal targeting elements first interact with the TOMM70 subunit. After initial interaction the protein is conducted across the outer membrane by TOMM40 subunits. In yeast some proteins such as Aco1, Atp1, Cit1, Idh1, and Atp2 have both presequences that interact with TOM20 and mature regions that interact with TOM70.

Summary from Reactome (R-HSA-1268020), read 2026-09-23.