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Related Concept Videos

Animal Mitochondrial Genetics02:59

Animal Mitochondrial Genetics

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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...
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Comparing Mitochondrial, Chloroplast, and Prokaryotic Genomes02:16

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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...
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Export of Mitochondrial and Chloroplast Genes02:19

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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...
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Mitochondria01:37

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Mitochondria are eukaryotic cellular organelles that are known to produce energy through a process called oxidative phosphorylation. Besides their primary function, mitochondria are involved in various cellular processes, including cell growth, differentiation, signaling, metabolism, and senescence. Age-related changes cause a decline in mitochondrial quality and integrity due to increased mitochondrial mutations and oxidative damage. Thus, aging can severely impact mitochondrial functions,...
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Mitochondrial Membranes01:45

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A single mitochondrion is a bean-shaped organelle enclosed by a double-membrane system. The outer membrane of mitochondria is smooth and contains many porins - the integral membrane transporters. Porins enable free diffusion of ions and small uncharged molecules through the outer mitochondrial membrane but limit the transport of molecules larger than 5000 Daltons. Further, the outer mitochondrial membrane forms a unique structure called membrane contact sites with other subcellular organelles,...
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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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Genotyping Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the Mitochondrial Genome by Pyrosequencing
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Mitochondrial genomes – unity and diversity

Maria Jagielska1, Paweł Hałakuc2, Magdalena Płecha3

  • 1Instytut Biologii Ewolucyjnej, Wydział Biologii, Centrum Nauk Biologiczno-Chemicznych, Uniwersytet Warszawski. mw.jagielska@uw.edu.pl.

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Mitochondria evolved from bacteria, losing genes to the nucleus. Their genomes show diverse structures, including circular, linear, and even lost DNA, across eukaryotic evolution.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Cell biology
  • Genomics

Context:

  • Mitochondria originated from endosymbiotic bacteria.
  • Mitochondrial genomes have undergone significant evolutionary changes.
  • These changes include gene loss and transfer to the nuclear genome.

Purpose:

  • To explore the structural diversity of mitochondrial genomes.
  • To examine variations in gene content within mitochondrial DNA.
  • To discuss these variations across major eukaryotic groups.

Summary:

  • Mitochondrial genomes exhibit remarkable diversity in structure and content.
  • While typically circular, mitochondrial DNA can be linear or absent in some eukaryotes.
  • This diversity arises from independent evolutionary modifications in different lineages.

Impact:

  • Understanding mitochondrial genome diversity provides insights into eukaryotic evolution.
  • It highlights the dynamic nature of organelle genomes.
  • This knowledge is crucial for comparative genomics and evolutionary studies.