Pervasive Mitochondrial tRNA Gene Loss in Clade B of Haplosclerid Sponges (Porifera, Demospongiae).

ABSTRACT: Mitochondrial tRNA gene loss and cytosolic tRNA import are two common phenomena in mitochondrial biology, but their importance is often under-appreciated in animals. This is because the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of most bilaterally symmetrical animals (Bilateria) encodes a complete set of tRNAs required for mitochondrial translation. By contrast, the mtDNA of nonbilaterian animals (phyla Cnidaria, Ctenophora, Porifera, and Placozoa) often contains a reduced set of tRNA genes, necessitating tRNA import from the cytosol. Interestingly, in many nonbilaterian lineages, tRNA gene content appears to be set early in evolution and remains conserved thereafter. Here, we report that Clade B of haplosclerid sponges (CBHS) represents an exception to this pattern, displaying considerable variation in t

SUBMITTER: Lavrov DV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11886574 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature