Cytochromes c1 of kinetoplastid protozoa lack mitochondrial targeting presequences

We have used the polymerase chain reaction to amplify cDNA fragments that encode the amino-terminal sequences of cytochrome c1 from two distantly related kinetoplastid species, Crithidia fasciculata and Bodo caudatus. Cloning and sequencing of these fragments have revealed that these proteins lack conventional mitochondrial targeting presequences.