Questions? Comments? Please contact Dr. Phillip McClean or Christina Johnson.

Flythrough Tour
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CELLULAR PROCESSES
Atp Synthase
Electron Transport Chain
Protein Trafficking
Protein Modification
Protein Recycling
Insulin Signaling
Constitutive Secretion
Regulated Secretion
Mitochondrial Protein Transport
Photosynthesis (Light)
Photosystem II
Mitosis
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MOLECULAR PROCESSES
Transcription
Regulated Transcription
mRNA Processing
mRNA Splicing
Translation
Lac Operon
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HOME > MITOCHONDRIAL PROTEIN TRANSPORT > ADVANCED LOOK > 1.) CYTOSOL > 2.) MATRIX
Mitochondrial Protein Transport : Advanced Look --> 2.) Matrix

The final steps of protein transport int the mitochondria occur in the matrix space. Clicking on each of the thumbnail images will bring up a larger, labeled version of the described scene.

To see the Flash movie for the following sequence of images, click here.

Once inside the matrix space, the protein is again bound by a chaperone to prevent folding.

The first chaperone then leaves as new chaperonins attach. These new chaperonins will aid in folding the protein into its final shape.

Soon after entering the matrix, an enzyme known as signal peptidase detects the protein's signal sequence.

Signal peptidase then cleaves the signal sequence from the protein.

The chaperonins finish folding the protein into its final shape.

Once folded into its final shape, the protein is now ready to preform its proper function in the organelle.