M. Valach, Z. Farkas, D. Fricova, J. Kovac, B. Brejova, T. Vinar, I. Pfeiffer, J. Kucsera, L. Tomaska, B. F. Lang, J. Nosek. Evolution of linear chromosomes and multipartite genomes in yeast mitochondria. Nucleic Acids Research, 39(10):4202-4219. 2011.

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Abstract:

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.

Last update: 06/24/2011