Synthesis of a bovine adrenodoxin precursor in vitro and its import into yeast mitochondria]

The bovine adrenal cortex adrenodoxin gene was inserted into pTZ19 under T7 promoter control. The adrenodoxin mRNA was synthesized with T7 RNA polymerase and then translated in the reticulocyte cell-free translation system. The protein product was identified as the adrenodoxin precursor with molecular weight 22000. The import of the precursor into isolated yeast mitochondria was carried out. The protein was found to be inserted into the trypsin-insensitive compartment of mitochondria via an energy dependent way. This resulted in the processing of the precursor to the 12000-mature form. Thus, the precursor of mammalian adrenodoxin can be normally imported into yeast mitochondria.     

Addressed protein transport in the cell

The paper summarizes data on the nature of signals (mainly amino acid sequences) determining the intracellular movement of newly formed polypeptide chains: their secretion, incorporation into the cytoplasmic or endoplasmic reticular membranes, into different compartments of mitochondria and chloroplasts. Some information is given about the polypeptide transport into the nucleus and microbodies (glyoxysomes, peroxysomes, glucosomes). The intracellular movement of polypeptides is supposed to be proteolytically controlled.