Biosynthesis and insertion into the membrane

Biosynthesis has been studied only in the case of the adenine nucleotide exchange carrier, which has been isolated in pure form from several sources [72-74]. Antibodies have been raised to some of these pure proteins [75], and the availability of antibodies as well as the availability of inhibitors [76] which bind specifically to the nucleotide carrier have permitted studies of its biosynthesis not possible for the other carriers. The immunological work is important since the antibodies can detect the carrier in precursor forms, not yet assembled in the membrane. 

The biosynthesis of the adenine nucleotide carrier has been studied most extensively in Neurospora crassa. The carrier isolated from Neurospora mitochondria is very similar to the carrier isolated from mammalian mitochondria [78]. Its molecular weight, subunit structure, amino acid composition, hydrophobicity and inhibitor specificity are remarkably similar to the mammalian heart and liver carriers. Specific antibodies to the Neurospora carrier have been raised in rabbits [79]. 

Although a few subunits of mitochondrial membrane proteins are coded by mitochondrial DNA and synthesized in the mitochondrial matrix, most membrane proteins including the adenine nucleotide carrier are coded by nuclear genes and synthesized on cytoplasmic ribosomes [80,81], Chloramphenicol, an inhibitor of mitochondrial protein synthesis, does not inhibit incorporation of radioactive leucine into the carrier in growing Neurospora crassa, but cycloheximide, an inhibitor of cytoplasmic protein synthesis, does inhibit leucine incorporation [78]. Also, a yeast nuclear respiratory mutant has been shown to cause a defect in adenine nucleotide transport [81], and the nuclear gene responsible for coding the carrier in yeast is currently being cloned for further studies [82]. 

A pool of adenine nucleotide carrier precursor protein has been identified in the 

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