not much is known about the function of hsp60. mammalian hsp60 was first reported as a mitochondrial p1 protein. it was subsequently cloned and sequenced by radhey gupta and coworkers. the amino acid sequence showed a strong homology to groel. it was initially believed that hsp60 functioned only in the mitochondria and that there was no equivalent protein located in the cytoplasm. recent discoveries have discredited this claim and have suggested that there is a recognizable difference between hsp60 in the mitochondria and in the cytoplasm. a similar protein structure exists in the chloroplast of certain plants. this protein presence provides evidence for the evolutionary relationship of the development of the mitochondria and the chloroplast by means of endosymbiosis.