ISSN:
1432-0983
Keywords:
Key wordsPodospora anserina
;
Reverse transcriptase
;
Group-II intron
;
Degenerative syndromes
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract Degenerative processes in the filamentous fungus Podospora anserina are strongly correlated with the instability of the mitochondrial genome. Among the sources of instability is the mobile group-II intron COX1-i1, also called intron α, which encodes a protein with a reverse transcriptase activity. In this paper we characterize, through PCR experiments, mitochondrial recombinant DNA molecules joining the 5′ end of intron α to the 3′ end of tRNA sequences including the CCA motif. The structure of these junctions led us to propose that they were most probably initiated by a RNA template switching of the reverse transcriptase encoded in COX1-i1. This activity might be involved in a number of mitochondrial rearrangements occurring in degenerative syndromes and in some long-lived mutants.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s002940050003
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