An article that illustrates the widespread presence of introns in the eukaryotic genes coding for mitochondrial genes. As well, they show through the existence of conserved introns/exons that the targeting information for the mitochondria has been derived from another protein. This is in line with a gradual evolution of nuclear genes that were targeted to […]
This article is about introns in the nuclear genes coding for mitochondrial proteins. The existence of these introns and these nuclear genes is in line with a nuclear origin of these genes, especially when the intron positions are conserved. The current article assumes (wrongly, imo) that the genes are of bacterial origin and proposes that the […]
Here, it is shown that essential mitochondrial genes can be nucleus-encoded (Chlamydomonas), in this case the subunit ATPase6. The gene shows eukaryotic characteristics including introns and targeting sequences. The algal gene is even functional in mammalian cells.
From the abstract: Unlike most organisms, the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a green alga, does not encode […]
Here they analyze the cox3 and cox2 genes that are absent in the mitochondrial genome, but present in the nuclear genome where they contain spliceosomal introns like in many eukaryotic genes. Also, the genes contain mitochondrial target sequences. Thus, these genes could represent the ancient mitochondrial genome where cox2 and cox3 were later added.
From the […]
This article from Michael Gray gives some background information about the group I introns. The title is interesting since any engineer should be reluctant to accept mass migrations of DNA. Let’s also see what he means by ‘promiscuity’, a teleological term not fit for evolutionary science because it implies intent. The concept of homing is […]
This website fom Tachezy gives some general information about the mitosome, as well as some images.
The mitochondrial origin of mitosome is supported by (i) presence of two membranes surrounding these organelles, (ii) localization of proteins of iron sulfur cluster assembly machinery within these organelles (IscU, IscS, ferredoxin), (iii) targeting of proteins into the mitosome by […]
This article shows a common origin between mitochondria and the amitochondriate organisms that contain either a mitosome or a hydrogenosomes. All organisms use FeS clusters and they show that the proteins involved are similar. This article places it in the context of a loss of function in the mitosomes, while I think it just indicates […]
This article shows that mitosomes and hydrogenosomes have targeting mechanisms that are similar. This is expected when mitochondria and related organelles were both derived from the endomembrane system and where the anaerobic organelles preceded the mitochondria in evolution.
Abstract: […] by the discovery of mitochondria-like double membrane-bound organelles called mitosomes. Here, we report that proteins targeted […]
This article regards the microsporidia as highly derived organisms and all their claims have to be seen in this context. Still, this article provides interesting data how a precursor mitochondrion, in this case the mitosome could have looked like. They find simpler import mechanisms based on a a few subunits of the mitochondrial ones and find that […]
This review article is part of an entire issue dedicated to anaerobic protists. As an evolutionists, I don’t like the terms ‘opportunistic protists’ they use and ‘remnant mitochondria’ because the first is anthropomorph and teleological and the second implies that they once were mitochondria, which is far from proven (I think it is just plain […]