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Mitochondrial DNA is the small circular chromosome found inside mitochondria. These organelles, found in all eukaryotic cells, are the powerhouse of the cell. [1] The mitochondria, and thus mitochondrial DNA, are passed exclusively from mother to offspring through the egg cell.
Mitochondrial proteins (proteins transcribed from mitochondrial DNA) vary depending on the tissue and the species. In humans, 615 distinct types of proteins have been identified from cardiac mitochondria, [ 92 ] whereas in rats , 940 proteins have been reported. [ 93 ]
Mitochondrial diseases range in severity from asymptomatic to fatal, and are most commonly due to inherited rather than acquired mutations of mitochondrial DNA. A given mitochondrial mutation can cause various diseases depending on the severity of the problem in the mitochondria and the tissue the affected mitochondria are in.
At birth, all copies of mitochondrial DNA are thought to be identical in most humans. [2] Microheteroplasmy is mutations of up to about 2−5% of mitochondrial genomes, and is present in most adults. This refers to hundreds of independent mutations in one organism, with each mutation found in about 1–2% of all mitochondrial genomes. [3]
The mitochondrial genome is a circular DNA molecule distinct from nuclear DNA. Although the mitochondrial DNA is very small compared to nuclear chromosomes, [2] it codes for 13 proteins involved in mitochondrial energy production and specific tRNAs. Foreign genetic material (most commonly DNA) can also be artificially introduced into the cell ...
In normal and healthy tissues, all cells are homoplasmic. [2] Homoplasmic mitochondrial DNA copies may be normal or mutated; [1] however, most mutations are heteroplasmic [2] [3] (only occurring in some copies of mitochondrial DNA). It has been discovered, though, that homoplasmic mitochondrial DNA mutations may be found in human tumors. [4]
Mitochondrial matrix has a pH of about 7.8, which is higher than the pH of the intermembrane space of the mitochondria, which is around 7.0–7.4. [5] Mitochondrial DNA was discovered by Nash and Margit in 1963. One to many double stranded mainly circular DNA is present in mitochondrial matrix. Mitochondrial DNA is 1% of total DNA of a cell.
Horizontal transfer of mitochondria is the movement of whole mitochondria and mitochondrial DNA between cells. Mitochondria from donor cells are transported and incorporated into the endogenous mitochondrial network of recipient cells contributing to changes in the bioenergetics profile and in other functional properties of recipient cells. [ 1 ]