Mitochondrial Ribosomal Protein S26 (MRPS26)

Mitochondria have their own translation system for production of 13 proteins essential for oxidative phosphorylation. MRPS26 is 1 of more than 70 protein components of mitochondrial ribosomes that are encoded by the nuclear genome.

The deduced human protein contains a 27-amino acid N-terminal mitochondrial import signal.The deduced 205-amino acid MRPS26 protein has a calculated molecular mass of 24.2 kD. Removal of the predicted 31-amino acid N-terminal mitochondrial localization signal results in a mature protein of 20.8 kD. MRPS26 orthologs in mouse and Drosophila, but not in C. elegans, yeast, or E. coli. Mouse and human MRPS26 share 71.4% amino acid identity.