Mitochondria import most of their proteins from the cytosol. A multi-subunit machinery accomplishes the translocation of precursor polypeptides into and across the two mitochondrial membranes. Within recent years more than 20 different proteins have been identified which are involved in mitochondrial protein import. This review summarizes the successful genetic and biochemical approaches that led to the identification of these transport and folding components. The identification and functional characterization of the components can be seen as a paradigm for the molecular analysis of a complex biological process by a combination of biochemical and genetic procedures.