Description
Mitochondrial intermembrane chaperone that participates in the import and insertion of some multi-pass transmembrane proteins into the mitochondrial inner membrane. Also required for the transfer of beta-barrel precursors from the TOM complex to the sorting and assembly machinery (SAM complex) of the outer membrane. Acts as a chaperone-like protein that protects the hydrophobic precursors from aggregation and guide them through the mitochondrial intermembrane space. The Tim8-Tim13 complex mediates the import of some proteins while the predominant Tim9-Tim10 70 kDa complex mediates the import of much more proteins (By similarity).
Subunit
Heterohexamer; composed of 3 copies of Tim8 and 3 copies of Tim13, named soluble 70 kDa complex. Associates with the TIM22 complex, whose core is composed of Tim22 (By similarity).