Survival of Mitochondrial rps14 Pseudogenes in Grasses
Author Information
Author(s): Ong Han Chuan, Palmer Jeffrey D
Primary Institution: Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
Hypothesis
How ancient is the transfer of the rps14 gene from mitochondria to the nucleus in grasses, and how has it been retained?
Conclusion
The rps14 gene has been functionally transferred from the mitochondrion to the nucleus at least three times during the evolution of the Poales, with expressed pseudogenes persisting in mitochondrial genomes.
Supporting Evidence
- rps14 sequences are present in the mitochondrial genomes of all examined Poales except for members of the grass subfamily Panicoideae.
- All mitochondrial pseudogenes examined are transcribed and many are RNA edited.
- Nearly intact and expressed pseudogenes of rps14 have persisted in the mitochondrial genomes of most lineages of Poaceae and Cyperaceae.
Takeaway
Scientists found that a gene called rps14 moved from the mitochondria to the nucleus in plants a long time ago, and even though it looks like a broken gene now, it still works in some plants.
Methodology
The study involved hybridization experiments, PCR amplification, sequencing, and cDNA analysis of mitochondrial and nuclear rps14 genes from various grass species.
Limitations
The study may not account for all potential transfers of rps14 in other plant families or the full extent of pseudogene functionality.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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