The role and structure of mitochondrial carriers

FEBS Lett. 2004 Apr 30;564(3):239-44. doi: 10.1016/S0014-5793(04)00242-X.

Abstract

Members of the mitochondrial carrier family transport compounds over the inner mitochondrial membrane to link the biochemical pathways in the cytosol with those in the mitochondrial matrix. X-ray crystallography has recently provided us with the first atomic model of the bovine ADP/ATP carrier, which is a member of this family. The structure explains the typical three-fold sequence repeats and signature motif of mitochondrial carriers. However, the carrier was crystallised as a monomer in detergent, which is inconsistent with the consensus that mitochondrial carriers exist as homo-dimers. The projection structure of the yeast ADP/ATP carrier by electron crystallography shows that carriers could form homo-dimers in the membrane.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Fungal Proteins / chemistry
  • Fungal Proteins / genetics
  • Fungal Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Mitochondria / enzymology*
  • Mitochondria / genetics
  • Mitochondrial ADP, ATP Translocases / chemistry*
  • Mitochondrial ADP, ATP Translocases / genetics
  • Mitochondrial ADP, ATP Translocases / metabolism
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary*

Substances

  • Fungal Proteins
  • Mitochondrial ADP, ATP Translocases