The Expression of a Novel Mitochondrially-Encoded Gene in Gonadic Precursors May Drive Paternal Inheritance of Mitochondria.

ABSTRACT: Mitochondria have an active role in germ line development, and their inheritance dynamics are relevant to this process. Recently, a novel protein (RPHM21) was shown to be encoded in sperm by the male-transmitted mtDNA of Ruditapes philippinarum, a species with Doubly Uniparental Inheritance (DUI) of mitochondria. In silico analyses suggested a viral origin of RPHM21, and we hypothesized that the endogenization of a viral element provided sperm mitochondria of R. philippinarum with the ability to invade male germ line, thus being transmitted to the progeny. In this work we investigated the dynamics of germ line development in relation to mitochondrial transcription and expression patterns using qPCR and specific antibodies targeting the germ line marker VASPH (R. philippinarum VASA homolog)

SUBMITTER: Milani L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4560408 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature