Summary
As previously reported, a ccc DNA with a contour length of 0.75 µm and molecular weight of 2.4 kb (termed plasmid-like, p1DNA) is the causative agent of senescence in the fungus Podospora anserina. Its postulated location in mtDNA was proved correct by the following experiments:
-
1.
Restriction analysis of mtDNA resulted in different molecular weights for both, juvenile (95 kb) and senescent (30 kb) mtDNA. The construction of a detailed restriction map made evident the fact that senescent mtDNA comprises only a part of its juvenile counterpart.
-
2.
Hybridization experiments (Southern blots) between 3H-labelled plDNA and mtDNA cleaved by restriction juvenile mtDNA are homologous to plDNA.
-
3.
Fine mapping experiments (construction of restriction maps and heteroduplex experiments) between plDNA integrated into a bacterial vector and its postulated equivalent, derived from juvenile mtDNA and also integrated into a bacterial vector, allowed a precise determination of the site of plDNA insertion within the juvenile mtDNA.
All of these data fit into a previously published model in which, during aging, plDNA is excised from mtDNA and becomes autonomous for replication and function.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Belcour L, Begel O (1978) Mol Gen Genet 163:113–123
Caten CE (1972) J Gen Microbiol 72:221–229
Cummings DJ, Belcour L, Grandchamp C (1979a) Mol Gen Genet 171:229–238
Cummings DJ, Belcour L, Grandchamp C (1979b) Mol Gen Genet 171:239–250
Davis RW, Simon M, Davidson N (1971) Electron microscope heteroduplex methods for mapping regions of base sequence homology in nucleic acids. In: Colowick SP, Kaplan NO (eds) Methods in Enzymology, vol 21, Acad Press, New York, pp 413–428
Denhardt DT (1966) Biochem Biophys Res Commun 23:641–646
Esser K (1974) Podospora anserina. In: King RC (ed) Handbook of Genetics, vol I. Plenum Press, New York, pp 531–551
Esser K, Keller W (1976) Mol Gen Genet 144:107–110
Esser K, Tudzynski P, Stahl U, Kück U (1980) Mol Gen Genet 178:213–216
Gillham NW (1978) Organelle Heredity. Raven Press, New York
Herrmann RG, Whitfeld PR, Bottomley W (1980) Gene 8:179–191
Kemble RJ, Bedbrook SR (1980) Nature 284:565–566
Kück U, Stahl U, Lhermitte A, Esser K (1980) Curr Genet 2:97–101
Lazarus CM, Earl AJ, Turner G, Küntzel H (1980) Eur J Biochem 106:633–641
Locker J, Lewin A, Rabinowitz M (1979) Plasmid 2:155–181
Macgregor HC, Mizuno S (1976) Chromosoma 54:15–25
Marcou D (1961) Ann Sci Natur Bot Ser 12, 2:653–764
Sanger F, Air GM, Barrel BG Brown NL, Coulson AR, Fiddes JC, Hutchinson III CA, Slocombe PM, Smith M (1977) Nature 265:687–695
Southern EM (1975) J Mol Biol 98:503–517
Stahl U, Lemke PA, Tudzynski P, Kuck U, Esser K (1978) Mol Gen Genet 162:341–343
Stahl U, Kuck U, Tudzynski P, Esser K (1980) Mol Gen Genet 178:639–646
Sutcliffe JG (1978) Cold Spring Harbor Symp Quant Biol 18:77–90
Thompson RD, Kemble RJ, Flavell RB (1980) Nucleic Acids Res 8:1999–2008
Tudzynski P, Esser K (1979) Mol Gen Genet 173:71–84
Tudzynski P, Stahl U, Esser K (1980) Curr Genet 2:191–184
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kück, U., Stahl, U. & Esser, K. Plasmid-like DNA is part of mitochondrial DNA in Podospora anserina . Current Genetics 3, 151–156 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00365719
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00365719