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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Characterization Of A New Mtdna Minicircle In A Chewing Louse, Geomydoecus Aurei, Ashley L. Campbell, Dino Bolic, James W. Demastes, Theresa A. Spradling
Characterization Of A New Mtdna Minicircle In A Chewing Louse, Geomydoecus Aurei, Ashley L. Campbell, Dino Bolic, James W. Demastes, Theresa A. Spradling
Research in the Capitol
The mitochondrion, an organelle responsible for generating cellular energy, is unlike the majority of organelles in animal cells. Because of its symbiotic origins, the mitochondrion contains its own genetic information (mtDNA) that is predominantly maternally inherited. In most animals, the mitochondrial DNA is arranged in one circular chromosome containing 13 protein coding genes, 22 tRNAs and two rRNAs. In Geomydoecus aurei, a chewing louse, these same genes have been disbursed among at least 13 independent minicircle chromosomes. We have worked to map this atypical genome to gain insights into its development and to further understanding of genomic rearrangements in this …