The Tom70 import receptor on the mitochondrial outer membrane specifically recognizes Hsp90 and Hsc70, a critical step for the import of mitochondrial preproteins, the targeting of which depends on these cytosolic chaperones. To analyze the role of Hsp90 in mitochondrial import, the effects of the Hsp90 inhibitors geldanamycin and novobiocin were compared. Geldanamycin occludes the N-terminal ATP-binding site of Hsp90, whereas novobiocin targets the C-terminal region of the chaperone. Here, novobiocin was found to inhibit preprotein import and, in particular, targeting to the purified cytosolic fragment of Tom70. Hsp90 cross-linking to preprotein and coprecipitation of Hsp90 with Tom70 were both impaired by novobiocin. Overall, novobiocin treatment increased preprotein aggregation, contributing to reduced import competence. In contrast, geldanamycin had no apparent effect on preprotein interactions with Hsp90, formation of preprotein-chaperone complexes, Hsp90 docking onto Tom70, or preprotein association with the outer membrane. Instead, geldanamycin impaired formation of preprotein import intermediates at the outer membrane. This suggests a novel active role for Hsp90 in import steps subsequent to Tom70 targeting. Our results outline the mechanisms of Hsp90 function in preprotein targeting and transport.The great majority of mitochondrial proteins are encoded in the nucleus, translated by cytosolic ribosomes, and imported into mitochondria by a translocation apparatus located in the mitochondrial outer and inner membranes (1). The TOM (translocase of the mitochondrial outer membrane) complex contains import receptors that mediate the targeting of preproteins to the membrane and a general import pore complex through which preproteins are translocated. Sorting of preproteins to their appropriate final compartment within the mitochondria is performed by the TIM (translocase of the inner membrane) machinery (2, 3).Before import, unfolded or hydrophobic mitochondrial preproteins are bound by cytosolic chaperones, notably Hsc70 (heat shock cognate protein of 70 kDa; the constitutive Hsp70 (heat shock protein of 70 kDa) form in mammals) and Hsp90. Such preproteins include members of the inner membrane metabolite carrier family. The integral membrane Tom70 import receptor contains a tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) 3 domain similar to those found in several other cytosolic cochaperones of Hsp90 and Hsc70 and provides a specific docking site for the Hsp90 and Hsc70 chaperones. This interaction is thought to be an essential first step in Tom70-dependent preprotein targeting, followed by contact between the preprotein and Tom70 itself (4 -15). Additional cytosolic proteins, including co-chaperones of , might also interact with preproteins to further assist import. After targeting to Tom70, preproteins are translocated through the outer membrane via the Tom40 import pore complex. The Tom40 pore also translocates preproteins targeted through the major import receptor Tom20 (21-23). After translocation, preproteins of the met...