Minimal peptide length required to span the mitochondrial protein translocases in Trypanosoma brucei

Mitochondrial protein import depends on heterooligomeric translocases in the outer and inner membranes. Using substrates consisting of various lengths N-terminal part mitochondrial dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (LDH) fused to dihydrofolate reductase we present an vivo analysis showing that Trypanosoma brucei at least 96 aa mature LDH are required efficiently produce intermediate spans both translocases. This is different yeast, where around 50 sufficient achieve same task likely reflects arrangement architecture trypanosomal Furthermore, show formation stuck leads a strong growth inhibition suggesting that, depending length LDH, channels quantitatively blocked.