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TOMM40

TOMM40 is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand TOMM40 rather than just read about it. In short: Mitochondrial import receptor subunit TOM40 homolog is a protein which in humans is encoded by the TOMM40 gene. Function TOMM40 codes for a protein that is embedded into outer membranes of mitochondria and is required for the movement of proteins into mitochondria.

TOMM40 — main illustration
TOMM40 — illustration

Key takeaways

  • TOMM40 belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect TOMM40 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of TOMM40 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Mitochondrial import receptor subunit TOM40 homolog is a protein which in humans is encoded by the TOMM40 gene.

Function TOMM40 codes for a protein that is embedded into outer membranes of mitochondria and is required for the movement of proteins into mitochondria. More precisely, TOMM40 is the channel-forming subunit of the translocase of the outer membrane (TOM) complex, a translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane that is essential for protein transport into the mitochondrion.

Clinical significance Certain alleles of this gene have been statistically associated with an increased risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease. One study has found that TOMM40 risk alleles appear twice as often in people with Alzheimer's disease than those without it. Because TOMM40 is located on chromosome 19, and is closely adjacent to APOE, another gene known to be associated with Alzheimer's, another study has suggested that the statistically significant correlation of TOMM40 with Alzheimer's is due to linkage disequilibrium.

See also TOMM20 TOMM22 TOMM70A

References

Further reading

Illustrations

TOMM40 illustration
TOMM40 illustration
TOMM40 illustration
TOMM40 illustration
TOMM40 illustration

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with TOMM40

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what TOMM40 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to TOMM40 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about TOMM40 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of TOMM40

In research
TOMM40 appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses TOMM40 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
TOMM40 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Genes on human chromosome 19, Human chromosome 19 gene stubs, Mitochondrial proteins, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for TOMM40 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study TOMM40 in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what TOMM40 means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain TOMM40 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is TOMM40 in simple terms?

Mitochondrial import receptor subunit TOM40 homolog is a protein which in humans is encoded by the TOMM40 gene. Function TOMM40 codes for a protein that is embedded into outer membranes of mitochondria and is required for the movement of proteins into mitochondria.

Why does TOMM40 matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study TOMM40?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on TOMM40.

Tags

  • Genes on human chromosome 19
  • Human chromosome 19 gene stubs
  • Mitochondrial proteins

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