| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2068719 | Mitochondrion | 2014 | 7 Pages |
•Plant mitochondrial genomes replicate by a unique mechanism(s).•All plant mtDNA replication proteins are nuclear-encoded.•Many of these proteins are dual-localized to mitochondria and chloroplasts.•There appears to be partial redundancy for some replication protein functions.•Mutations in some replication proteins have complex effects on plant development.
Higher plant mitochondrial genomes exhibit much greater structural complexity compared to most other organisms. Unlike well-characterized metazoan mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication, an understanding of the mechanism(s) and proteins involved in plant mtDNA replication remains unclear. Several plant mtDNA replication proteins, including DNA polymerases, DNA primase/helicase, and accessory proteins have been identified. Mitochondrial dynamics, genome structure, and the complexity of dual-targeted and dual-function proteins that provide at least partial redundancy suggest that plants have a unique model for maintaining and replicating mtDNA when compared to the replication mechanism utilized by most metazoan organisms.
