---

In the past few years, the body of experimental work on the structure, function and assembly processes of mitochondria has expanded rapidly. No one person can believe himself or herself completely in control of the burgeoning literature without possessing serious omissions or blind spots. In the present monograph I have attempted a critical evaluation of the literature. I believe that the common thread of single authorship outweighs the shortcomings of one person presenting many disparate viewpo,ints. It is my hope that the end product represents a comprehensive and coordinated review of the subject matter to the present date. Although the bulk of this monograph was completed by October 1974, I have made some attempts to update several of the sections at later times. Albany, N. Y. , November 1975 H. TEDESCHI Contents A. Structure of Mitochondria 1. General Organization . a) Conventional Thin Section Electron Microscopy b) Negative Staining Techniques . 3 c) Freeze-Cleavage . . . . . . . 4 2. Special Organization and Inclusions 10 a) Prismatic or Atypical Cristae 10 b) Filaments and Tubules . . 11 c) Amorphous Inclusions 12 d) Intramitochondrial Granules 12 e) DNA Containing Fibers 14 3. Topography of the Mitochondrial Transducing Systems 15 B. The Assembly of Mitochondria 18 1. Mitochondrial DNA and Its Genetic Role 19 2. Transcription of the Mitochondrial DNA . 28 a) mRNA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 b) The Machinery for Transcription and Translation 32 c) Turnover of Mitochondrial RNA 36 3. Protein Synthesis . . . . . . . . 37 a) Mitochondrial Protein Synthesis and Its Characteristics 37 b) Role of Mitochondrial Protein Synthesis . .

---

A. Structure of Mitochondria.- 1. General Organization.- a) Conventional Thin Section Electron Microscopy.- b) Negative Staining Techniques.- c) Freeze-Cleavage.- 2. Special Organization and Inclusions.- a) Prismatic or Atypical Cristae.- b) Filaments and Tubules.- c) Amorphous Inclusions.- d) Intramitochondrial Granules.- e) DNA Containing Fibers.- 3. Topography of the Mitochondrial Transducing Systems.- B. The Assembly of Mitochondria.- 1. Mitochondrial DNA and Its Genetic Role.- 2. Transcription of the Mitochondrial DNA.- a) mRNA.- b) The Machinery for Transcription and Translation.- c) Turnover of Mitochondrial RNA.- 3. Protein Synthesis.- a) Mitochondrial Protein Synthesis and Its Characteristics.- b) Role of Mitochondrial Protein Synthesis.- c) Synthesis of Specific Proteins by Mitochondria.- 4. Synthesis of Phospholipids.- 5. Mitochondrial Assembly.- 6. Interactions in the Assembly of Mitochondrial Components.- 7. Regulation of Nuclear Genome by Mitochondria.- C. Transducing Functions of Mitochondria.- 1. The Respiratory Assemblies and Oxidative Phosphorylation.- a) General Organization.- b) Energetics of the System; Redox Potentials.- 2. Dissection of the Respiratory Assemblies and the Components Responsible for Coupling.- 3. Mechanisms of Oxidative Phosphorylation.- a) Coupling by Ion Fluxes in the Direction of the Electro-Chemical Potential Gradient.- b) Other Models of Coupling Involving High Energy States.- c) Chemical Intermediate and Conformational Models in Phosphorylation.- 4. Permeability and Transport.- a) The Transport of Cations and General Models of Transport.- b) Anion and Amino Acid Transport.- c) Adenine Nucleotide Transport.- d) Carriers and Ionophores.

---