Mitochondrial genome diversity in closely related species provides an excellent platform for investigation of chromosome architecture and its evolution by means of comparative genomics. In this study, we determined the complete mitochondrial DNA sequences of eight Candida species and analyzed their molecular architectures. Our survey revealed a puzzling variability of genome architecture, including circular- and linear-mapping and multipartite linear forms. We propose that the arrangement of large inverted repeats identified in these genomes plays a crucial role in alterations of their molecular architectures. In specific arrangements, the inverted repeats appear to function as resolution elements, allowing genome conversion among different topologies, eventually leading to genome fragmentation into multiple linear DNA molecules. We suggest that molecular transactions generating linear mitochondrial DNA molecules with defined telomeric structures may parallel the evolutionary emergence of linear chromosomes and multipartite genomes in general and may provide clues for the origin of telomeres and pathways implicated in their maintenance.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkq1345 | DOI Listing |
Biology (Basel)
January 2025
Key Laboratory of Aquatic Genomics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing Key Laboratory of Fishery Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Beijing 100141, China.
The shape of the skull plays a crucial role in the evolution and adaptation of species to their environments. In the case of aquaculture fish, the size of the head is also an important economic trait, as it is linked to fillet yield and ornamental value. This study applies our GRAMMAR-Lambda method to perform a genome-wide association study analysis on loci related to head size in catfish.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPlacenta
January 2025
Mother Infant Research Institute, Tufts Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Dept Obstetrics & Gynecology, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address:
Hypothesis: Declines in insulin sensitivity during pregnancy important for fetal growth are associated with impairments in skeletal muscle post-receptor insulin signaling. The primary initiator of these changes is unknown but believed to originate in the placenta. We hypothesize that placental miRNAs are associated with maternal sensitivity changes and impact insulin-sensitive mechanisms in target tissues in vitro.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFActa Neuropsychiatr
January 2025
Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Objective: Accelerated ageing indexed by telomere attrition is suggested in schizophrenia spectrum- (SCZ) and bipolar disorders (BD). While inflammation may promote telomere shortening, few studies have investigated the association between telomere length (TL) and markers of immune activation and inflammation in severe mental disorders.
Methods: Leucocyte TL defined as telomere template/amount of single-copy gene template (T/S ratio), was determined in participants with SCZ ( = 301) or BD ( = 211) and a healthy control group (HC, = 378).
Front Oncol
January 2025
AO Vector-Best, Novosibirsk, Russia.
Background: Cervical screening, aimed at detecting precancerous lesions and preventing cancer, is based on cytology and HPV testing. Both methods have limitations, the main ones being the variable diagnostic sensitivity of cytology and the moderate specificity of HPV testing. Various molecular biomarkers are proposed in recent years to improve cervical cancer management, including a number of mRNAs encoded by human genes involved in carcinogenesis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiol Lett
January 2025
Cluster of Biomolecular Science, Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WE Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Dealing with infections is a daily challenge for wild animals. Empirical data show an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production during immune response. This could have consequences on telomere length, the end parts of linear chromosomes, commonly used as proxy for good health and ageing.
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