Human mitochondria produce ATP and metabolites to support development and maintain cellular homeostasis. Mitochondria harbor multiple copies of a maternally inherited, non-nuclear genome (mtDNA) that encodes for 13 subunit proteins of the respiratory chain. Mutations in mtDNA occur mainly in the 24 non-coding genes, with specific mutations implicated in early death, neuromuscular and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and diabetes. A significant barrier to new insights in mitochondrial biology and clinical applications for mtDNA disorders is our general inability to manipulate the mtDNA sequence. Microinjection, cytoplasmic fusion, nucleic acid import strategies, targeted endonucleases, and newer approaches, which include the transfer of genomic DNA, somatic cell reprogramming, and a photothermal nanoblade, attempt to change the mtDNA sequence in target cells with varying efficiencies and limitations. Here, we discuss the current state of manipulating mammalian mtDNA and provide an outlook for mitochondrial reverse genetics, which could further enable mitochondrial research and therapies for mtDNA diseases.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2016.04.004 | DOI Listing |
Biodivers Data J
January 2025
Universidad de Tarapacá, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Departamento de Recursos Ambientales, Arica, Chile Universidad de Tarapacá, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Departamento de Recursos Ambientales Arica Chile.
Background: The New World micromoth genus Busck, 1939 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae, Gelechiinae, Gnorimoschemini) includes 21 described species, ten of which occur in South America. Like the tomato pinworm, (Walsingham, 1897), all the species of , whose host plants have been documented, are associated exclusively with members of the family Solanaceae.
New Information: sp.
Environ Microbiome
January 2025
School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK.
Background: Acquiring representative bacterial 16S rRNA gene community profiles in plant microbiome studies can be challenging due to the excessive co-amplification of host chloroplast and mitochondrial rRNA gene sequences that reduce counts of plant-associated bacterial sequences. Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA) clamps prevent this by blocking PCR primer binding or binding within the amplified region of non-target DNA to stop the function of DNA polymerase. Here, we applied a universal chloroplast (p)PNA clamp and a newly designed mitochondria (m)PNA clamp to minimise host chloroplast and mitochondria amplification in 16S rRNA gene amplicon profiles of leaf, bark and root tissue of two oak species (Quercus robur and Q.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTrends Biochem Sci
January 2025
Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwakecho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan; Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (WPI-iCeMS), Kyoto University, Yoshida-Ushinomiyacho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan. Electronic address:
DNA can fold into noncanonical left-handed Z-DNA conformation beyond the right-handed B-DNA. While its crystal structure was discovered nearly four decades ago, it was predominantly considered a structural curiosity. Recent evidence suggests that Z-DNA formation occurs in nuclear and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), with significant biological implications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLife Med
August 2024
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xi-Jing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Changle West Road, Xincheng District, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, China.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent chronic liver condition, characterized by a spectrum that progresses from simple hepatic steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, which may eventually lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The precise pathogenic mechanisms underlying NAFLD and its related metabolic disturbances remain elusive. Epigenetic modifications, which entail stable transcriptional changes without altering the DNA sequence, are increasingly recognized as pivotal.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Nematol
March 2024
Department of Entomology and Nematology, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Wimauma, FL, 33598, USA.
Many root-knot nematode (RKN) species in the genus occur in Florida, including , a species able to overcome RKN resistance genes in many crops. The distribution of these nematodes in horticultural crops is not well known. A RKN survey was conducted in South and Central Florida aiming to: (i) identify RKN infecting vegetables, fruit, and other crops; (ii) document host plants; (iii) determine RKN distribution; and (iv) gain insight on the relatedness of obtained in this study with other populations from the USA and other countries.
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