Proteomic profiling of the mitochondrial ribosome identifies Atp25 as a composite mitochondrial precursor protein.

Whereas the structure and function of cytosolic ribosomes are well characterized, we only have a limited understanding of the mitochondrial translation apparatus. Using SILAC-based proteomic profiling, we identified 13 proteins that cofractionated with the mitochondrial ribosome, most of which play a role in translation or ribosomal biogenesis. One of these proteins is a homologue of the bacterial ribosome-silencing factor (Rsf). This protein is generated from the composite precursor protein Atp25 upon internal cleavage by the matrix processing peptidase MPP, and in this respect, it differs from all other characterized mitochondrial proteins of baker's yeast. We observed that cytosolic expression of Rsf, but not of noncleaved Atp25 protein, is toxic. Our results suggest that eukaryotic cells face the challenge of avoiding negative interference from the biogenesis of their two distinct translation machineries.