GrpE Like Protein 1, Mitochondrial (GRPEL1)

Members of the evolutionarily conserved 70-kD heat-shock protein (HSP70) family serve as molecular chaperones and facilitators of protein folding, protein translocation across membranes, and protein degradation. In bacteria, the HSP70 protein DnaJ and its cochaperone GrpE stimulate the ATPase activity of DnaK.

The deduced 217-amino acid HMGE protein is 88% identical to the rat GrpE homolog and 28% identical to the bacterial protein. Computational modeling analysis indicated that HMGE matches well with the crystal structure of E. Coli GrpE and contains conserved residues in regions that contact HSP70 proteins, suggesting HMGE may facilitate nucleotide exchange.HMGE is a mitochondrial protein that colocalizes with the mitochondrial chaperonin HSP60 .