A Dynamic Mobile DNA Family in the Yeast Mitochondrial Genome

• Published in: G3 : genes - genomes - genetics Vol. 5; no. 6; pp. 1273 - 1282
• Main Authors: Wu, Baojun, Hao, Weilong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Genetics Society of America 20.04.2015
• Subjects: Base Composition - genetics; Base Sequence; DNA Transposable Elements - genetics; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; Genome, Mitochondrial - genetics; Investigations; Models, Genetic; Molecular Sequence Data; Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid - genetics; Sequence Alignment; Species Specificity; Yeasts - genetics; mitochondrial genome; palindromic sequence; horizontal transfer; transposable element; GC cluster
• ISSN: 2160-1836; 2160-1836
• DOI: 10.1534/g3.115.017822

Transposable elements (TEs) are an important factor shaping eukaryotic genomes. Although a significant body of research has been conducted on the abundance of TEs in nuclear genomes, TEs in mitochondrial genomes remain elusive. In this study, we successfully assembled 28 complete yeast mitochondrial genomes and took advantage of the power of population genomics to determine mobile DNAs and their propensity. We have observed compelling evidence of GC clusters propagating within the mitochondrial genome and being horizontally transferred between species. These mitochondrial TEs experience rapid diversification by nucleotide substitution and, more importantly, undergo dynamic merger and shuffling to form new TEs. Given the hyper mobile and transformable nature of mitochondrial TEs, our findings open the door to a deeper understanding of eukaryotic mitochondrial genome evolution and the origin of nonautonomous TEs.