Recombination associated with replication of malarial mitochondrial DNA - PubMed (original) (raw)

. 1996 Feb 1;15(3):684-93.

Affiliations

Recombination associated with replication of malarial mitochondrial DNA

P R Preiser et al. EMBO J. 1996.

Abstract

Mitochondrial DNA of the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum comprises approximately 20 copies per cell of a 6 kb genome, arranged mainly as polydisperse linear concatemers. In synchronous blood cultures, initiation of mtDNA replication coincides with the start of the 4-5 doublings in nuclear DNA that mark the reproductive phase of the erythrocytic cycle. We show that mtDNA replication coincides with a recombination process reminiscent of the replication mechanism used by certain bacteriophages and plasmids. The few circular forms of mtDNA which are also present do not replicate by a theta mechanism, but are themselves the product of recombination, and we propose they undergo rolling circle activity to generate the linear concatemers.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Mol Biochem Parasitol. 1988 Sep;30(3):289-90 - PubMed
    1. J Mol Biol. 1962 Jun;4:430-43 - PubMed
    1. Mol Cell Biol. 1989 Sep;9(9):3614-20 - PubMed
    1. Mol Cell Biol. 1989 Sep;9(9):3621-9 - PubMed
    1. EMBO J. 1991 Dec;10(12):3923-9 - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

LinkOut - more resources