Mitochondrial genome organization and cytoplasmic male sterility in plants

摘要

Plant mitochondrial genomes are much larger and more complex than those of other eukaryotic organisms. They contain a very active recombination system and have a multipartite genome organization with a master circle resolving into two or more subgenomic circles by recombination through repeated sequences. Their protein coding capacity is very low and is comparable to that of animal and fungal systems. Several subunits of mitochondrial functional complexes, a complete set of tRNAs and 26S, 18S and 5S rRNAs are coded by the plant mitochondrial genome. The protein coding genes contain group II introns. The organelle genome contains stretches of DNA sequences homologous to chloroplast DNA. It also contains actively transcribed DNA sequences having open reading frames. Plasmid like DNA molecules are found in mitochondria of some plants