Summary
We have identified a novel mitochondrial plasmid of about 16 kbp inPhysarum polycephalum. This plasmid was apparently responsible for promoting mitochondrial fusion. Only in strains carrying the plasmid, small spherical mitochondria fused with one another to form large knotted multinucleate mitochondria which subsequently nderwent fusion between the areas (mt-nuclear) that contained the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) derived from individual mitochondria. Several successive mitochondrial divisions followed, accompanied by mt-nuclear divisions. The resulting mitochondria contained recombinant mtDNAs, but the plasmid was transmitted to all mitochondria without any structural change.
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Kawano, S., Takano, H., Mori, K. et al. A mitochondrial plasmid that promotes mitochondrial fusion inPhysarum polycephalum . Protoplasma 160, 167–169 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01539968
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01539968