Myristoyl group-aided protein import into the mitochondrial intermembrane space

The MICOS complex mediates formation of the crista junctions in mitochondria. Here we analyzed the mitochondrial import pathways for the six yeast MICOS subunits as a step toward understanding of the assembly mechanisms of the MICOS complex. Mic10, Mic12, Mic26, Mic27, and Mic60 used the presequence pathway to reach the intermembrane space (IMS). In contrast, Mic19 took the TIM40/MIA pathway, through its CHCH domain, to reach the IMS. Unlike canonical TIM40/MIA substrates, presence of the N-terminal unfolded DUF domain impaired the import efficiency of Mic19, yet N-terminal myristoylation of Mic19 circumvented this effect. The myristoyl group of Mic19 binds to Tom20 of the TOM complex as well as the outer membrane, which may lead to “entropy pushing” of the DUF domain followed by the CHCH domain of Mic19 into the import channel, thereby achieving efficient import.