BCS1L

Mitochondrial chaperone BCS1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the BCS1L gene.

This gene encodes a homolog of the S. cerevisiae bcs1 protein which is involved in the assembly of complex III of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. The encoded protein does not contain a mitochondrial targeting sequence but experimental studies confirm that it is imported into mitochondria. A conserved domain at the N-terminus of BCS1 is responsible for the import and intramitochondrial sorting. Mutations in this gene are associated with mitochondrial complex III deficiency and the GRACILE syndrome. Two alternatively spliced transcripts encoding the same protein have been described.