Mitochondrial Ribosomal Protein L41 (MRPL41)

Mammalian mitochondrial ribosomal proteins are encoded by nuclear genes and help in protein synthesis within the mitochondrion. They have an estimated 75% protein to rRNA composition compared to prokaryotic ribosomes, where this ratio is reversed. Another difference between mammalian mitoribosomes and prokaryotic ribosomes is that the latter contain a 5S rRNA. Among different species, the proteins comprising the mitoribosome differ greatly in sequence, and sometimes in biochemical properties, which prevents easy recognition by sequence homology.

MRPL41 encodes a 39S subunit protein that belongs to the YmL27 ribosomal protein family. The deduced 136-amino acid human MRPL41 protein contains a 13-amino acid N-terminal mitochondrial import signal.