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. 1982 Sep 1;94(3):680–687. doi: 10.1083/jcb.94.3.680

Structure of the outer mitochondrial membrane: ordered arrays of porelike subunits in outer-membrane fractions from neurospora crassa mitochondria

CA Mannella
PMCID: PMC2112230  PMID: 6215413

Abstract

Light-membrane fractions obtained by hypoosmotic lysis of neurospora crassa mitochondria exhibit buoyant densities and marker-enzyme activities characteristic of outer mitochondrial membranes. SDS PAGE of these membrane fractions indicates that a polypeptide of M(r) 31,000 is the main protein component. Under negative-stain electron microscope examination many of the membranes in these fractions appear as large (0.5-1- mum diameter), collapsed vesicles. The surfaces of flattened, open (i.e., ripped) vesicles often exhibit extended two-dimensional arrays of subunits are arranged into hexagons within each parallelogram unit cell, 12.6x11.1 nm (lattice angle = 109 degrees).

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Selected References

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