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Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Genotyping Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the Mitochondrial Genome by Pyrosequencing
Published on: February 10, 2023
Homologous recombination between highly diverged mitochondrial sequences: examples from maternally and paternally
Emmanuel D Ladoukakis1, Ioannis Theologidis, George C Rodakis
1Department of Biology, University of Crete, Iraklio, Greece. ladoukakis@biology.uoc.gr
Abstract:
Homologous recombination is restricted to sequences of low divergence. This is attributed to the mismatch repairing system (MMR), which does not allow recombination between sequences that are highly divergent. This acts as a safeguard against recombination between nonhomologous sequences that could result in genome imbalance. Here, we report recombination between maternal and paternal mitochondrial genomes of the sea mussel, whose sequences differ by >20%. We propose that the strict maternal inheritance of the animal mitochondrial DNA and the ensuing homoplasmy has relieved the MMR system of the animal mitochondrion from the pressure to tolerate recombination only among sequences with a high degree of similarity.
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