OBJECTIVES To define the molecular genetic basis of the MELAS phenotype in five patients without any known mutation of mitochondrial DNA. METHODS Systematic automated mitochondrial DNA sequencing of all mitochondrial transfer RNA and cytochrome c oxidase genes was undertaken in five patients who had the MELAS phenotype. RESULTS A novel heteroplasmic mitochondrial DNA mutation was identified...

Persian gazelle, Gazella subgutturosa, exists throughout arid and semiarid regions of Iran and has a key role in these frail ecosystems. Habitat degradation and population decline has placed it on the list of vulnerable species in 2008. The phylogenetic relationships of three Persian gazelle populations in the central part of Iran (i.e. Ghamishlou National Park and Wildlife Refuge, Mouteh Wildl...

The upper reaches of the Yangtze River (upper YR) are a biological zone with extremely rich fish diversity, especially endemic fish. However, long-term human interference, such as environmental pollution and cascade hydropower construction, has significantly changed habitat many is threatening number genetic diversity populations. Jinshaia sinensis typical small but rare that found in YR, its s...

The present study represents a comprehensive molecular assessment of some family of freshwater fishes in Iran. We analyzed cytochrome oxidase I (COI) sequences for five genus of cypriniform fishes from Iran. The present investigation provides data on genetic structure of some species of Nemachilidae including Paraschistura bampurensis, Oxynoemacheilus kiabii and Turcinemacheilus saadii and Leuc...

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been thought to contribute to Alzheimer disease (AD) pathogenesis through the accumulation of mitochondrial DNA mutations and net production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Mitochondrial cytochrome c-oxidase plays a key role in the regulation of aerobic production of energy and is composed of 13 subunits. The 3 largest subunits (I, II, and III) forming the cataly...

The assembly of the respiratory apparatus requires the coordinate expression of a large number of genes from both nuclear and mitochondrial genetic systems. In vertebrate organisms, the molecular mechanisms integrating the activities of these distinct genomic compartments in response to tissue demands for respiratory energy remain unknown. A potential inroad to this problem came with the discov...

The m.8993T>G mutation of the mitochondrial MT-ATP6 gene is associated with NARP syndrome (neuropathy, ataxia and retinitis pigmentosa). equivalent point introduced in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae DNA considerably reduced activity ATP synthase cytochrome-c-oxidase, preventing growth on oxidative substrates. overexpression oxodicarboxylate carrier (Odc1p) was able to rescue substrate by inc...

The nematode Romanomermis culicivorax, an obligate mosquito parasite, possesses a 26 kilobase (kb) mitochondrial genome. The unusually large size is due to transcriptionally active DNA sequences present as 3.0 kb direct tandem repeats and as inverted portions of the repeating unit located elsewhere in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). The genome rearrangements involved in establishing this unusual...

Molecular approaches were used to re-evaluate the morphological criteria used to identify plant-associated Verticillium species. ITS-RFLPs divided the 31 studied strains of seven Verticillium species, (including the type species V. luteo-album) into four clusters. Cluster one comprised strains of the type species, V. luteo-album, cluster two V. albo-atrum, V. dahliae, V. nubilum and V. tricorpu...