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Related Concept Videos

Gene Conversion02:08

Gene Conversion

Other than maintaining genome stability via DNA repair, homologous recombination plays an important role in diversifying the genome. In fact, the recombination of sequences forms the molecular basis of genomic evolution. Random and non-random permutations of genomic sequences create a library of new amalgamated sequences. These newly formed genomes can determine the fitness and survival of cells. In bacteria, homologous and non-homologous types of recombination lead to the evolution of new...
Gene Conversion02:08

Gene Conversion

Other than maintaining genome stability via DNA repair, homologous recombination plays an important role in diversifying the genome. In fact, the recombination of sequences forms the molecular basis of genomic evolution. Random and non-random permutations of genomic sequences create a library of new amalgamated sequences. These newly formed genomes can determine the fitness and survival of cells. In bacteria, homologous and non-homologous types of recombination lead to the evolution of new...
Animal Mitochondrial Genetics02:59

Animal Mitochondrial Genetics

Among all the organelles in an animal cell, only mitochondria have their own independent genomes. Animal mitochondrial DNA is a double-stranded, closed-circular molecule with around 20,000 base pairs. Mitochondrial DNA is unique in that one of its two strands, the heavy, or H, -strand is guanine rich, whereas the complementary strand is cytosine rich and called the light, or L, -strand. Compared to nuclear DNA, mitochondrial DNA has a very low percentage of non-coding regions and is marked by...
Export of Mitochondrial and Chloroplast Genes02:19

Export of Mitochondrial and Chloroplast Genes

A eukaryotic cell can have up to three different types of genetic systems: nuclear, mitochondrial, and chloroplast. During evolution, organelles have exported many genes to the nucleus; this transfer is still ongoing in some plant species. Approximately 18% of the Arabidopsis thaliana nuclear genome is thought to be derived from the chloroplast’s cyanobacterial ancestor, and around 75% of the yeast genome derived from the mitochondria’s bacterial ancestor. This export has occurred irrespective...
Comparing Mitochondrial, Chloroplast, and Prokaryotic Genomes02:16

Comparing Mitochondrial, Chloroplast, and Prokaryotic Genomes

The present-day mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes have retained some of the characteristics of their ancestral prokaryotes and also have acquired new attributes during their evolution within eukaryotic cells. Like prokaryotic genomes, mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes neither bind with histone-like proteins nor show complex packaging into chromosome-like structures, as observed in eukaryotes. Unlike mitotic cell divisions observed in eukaryotic cells, mitochondria and chloroplasts...
Non-nuclear Inheritance01:29

Non-nuclear Inheritance

Most DNA resides in the nucleus of a cell. However, some organelles in the cell cytoplasm⁠—such as chloroplasts and mitochondria⁠—also have their own DNA. These organelles replicate their DNA independently of the nuclear DNA of the cell in which they reside. Non-nuclear inheritance describes the inheritance of genes from structures other than the nucleus.

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Updated: May 12, 2026

Genotyping Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the Mitochondrial Genome by Pyrosequencing
07:24

Genotyping Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the Mitochondrial Genome by Pyrosequencing

Published on: February 10, 2023

Gene conversion shapes linear mitochondrial genome architecture.

David Roy Smith1, Patrick J Keeling

  • 1Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. smithdr@dal.ca

Genome Biology and Evolution
|April 11, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Gene conversion between mitochondrial chromosome ends drives telomere expansion and subtelomeric gene duplications. This recombination process significantly shapes organelle genome architecture across diverse eukaryotes.

Keywords:
gene duplicationinverted repeatmitochondrial DNAnucleotide diversityplasmidtelomere

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Methodology for Accurate Detection of Mitochondrial DNA Methylation
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Methodology for Accurate Detection of Mitochondrial DNA Methylation

Published on: May 20, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Mitochondrial Genetics
  • Molecular Evolution
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Linear mitochondrial chromosomes possess telomeres, and recombination at these ends was recently shown to cause telomere expansion and subtelomeric locus duplication.
  • The prevalence and impact of this telomeric recombination on organelle genome architecture remain largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the widespread nature and impact of telomeric recombination on linear organelle chromosomes.
  • To understand the role of gene conversion in shaping mitochondrial genome architecture.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of linear mitochondrial DNAs and mitochondrial plasmids from diverse eukaryotic species.
  • Examination of telomere expansion and subtelomeric region alterations.
  • Modeling of subtelomeric gene conversion processes.
  • Utilizing genetic diversity data to correlate population size with gene conversion potential.

Main Results:

  • Telomeric recombination has been a major factor in the evolution of linear organelle chromosomes.
  • Mitochondrial telomeres frequently expand into subtelomeric regions, leading to gene duplications, homogenizations, and/or fragmentations.
  • Subtelomeric gene conversion is proposed as the mechanism driving these observed genomic features.

Conclusions:

  • Subtelomeric gene conversion is a significant evolutionary force shaping mitochondrial genome architecture.
  • Larger effective population sizes correlate with increased potential for gene conversion between subtelomeric loci.
  • This study provides a model and evidence for telomeric recombination's role in organelle DNA evolution.