Yeast Translational Activator Mss51p and Human ZMYND17 - Two Proteins with a Common Origin, but Different Functions.

Despite its similarity to protein biosynthesis in bacteria, translation in the mitochondria of modern eukaryotes has several unique features, such as the necessity for coordination of translation of mitochondrial mRNAs encoding proteins of the electron transport chain complexes with translation of other protein components of these complexes in the cytosol. In the mitochondria of baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, this coordination is carried out by a system of translational activators that predominantly interact with the 5'-untranslated regions of mitochondrial mRNAs. No such system has been found in human mitochondria, except a single identified translational activator, TACO1.