Extranuclear Inheritance: Genetics and Biogenesis of Mitochondria

Abstract

This chapter is a continuation of our previous articles in this series (Bauerfeind et al. 1997; Riemen et al. 1993). Research activities and progress in the field of mitochondrial genetics, mitochondrial biogenesis and nuclear-mitochondrial interactions refer to the complete sequence of new mitochondrial genomes, transcription of mitochondrial DNA, processing, editing, and stability of mitochondrial RNA, the import of proteins and RNA, and the characterization of many nuclear genes required for mitochondrial biogenesis. Three topics have been selected to be reviewed here. (1) The complete sequence of the mitochondrial genome of Arabidopsis thaliana will be discussed in the section on mitochondrial genomes. The mitochondrial DNA of the flagellate Reclinomonas americana may represent a very ancient type of mitochondrial genome and is much more eubacterial-like than any other mitochondrial DNA analyzed so far. (2) For several years, laboratories have been searching for genes encoding plant organelle RNA polymerases. Recently, the sequence of the first genes were published and are reviewed here. (3) The identification of a nuclear gene restoring cytoplasmic male sterility is another remarkable result that will be discussed.