In this study we report the first comparison of the mitochondrial protein import and processing events in two different tissues from the same organism. Both spinach leaf and root mitochondria were able to import and process the in vitro transcribed and translated Neurospora crassa F1 beta subunit of ATP synthase to the mature size product. Temperature optimum for protein import, 20 degrees C, was considerably lower than that found in other systems. In spinach leaf mitochondria, the processing peptidase has been shown to constitute an integral part of the bc1 complex of the respiratory chain. In accordance with these results, the majority of the processing activity in root mitochondria was also localized in the membrane. However, although the same amount of the processing peptidase was present per mg of membrane protein in both leaf and root mitochondria, as determined immunologically, the specific processing activity was several-fold higher in roots. Furthermore, in contrast to the processing enzyme in leaf, a portion of the processing activity could be disassociated from the root membrane with relatively weak salt treatment. The processing event in both the leaf and root membranes was always accompanied by a degradation of the F1 beta precursor. The degradation activity was found to be several-fold higher in roots than in leaves and was also partially dissociated from the membrane after salt treatment. Both the processing and degradation activities were inhibited by orthophenanthroline, a known metalloprotease inhibitor. These results show tissue-specific differences of the processing event catalyzed by the bc1 complex and indicate the presence of two populations of the processing peptidase in root mitochondria.