Mitochondrial replication origin stability and propensity of adjacent tRNA genes to form putative replication origins increase developmental stability in Lizards

• DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.21095
• Publication Date: 2006-02-06T22:16:34Z
• Authors: Hervé Seligmann; Neeraja M. Krishnan
• Keywords: DNA Replication; Evolution, Molecular; 0301 basic medicine; 03 medical and health sciences; RNA, Transfer; Transcription, Genetic; Animals; Genetic Variation; Lizards; DNA, Mitochondrial; Mitochondria

Secondary structure stability of mitochondrial origins light-strand replication (OL) presumably reduces delayed formation initiating forks on the heavy strand. Delayed initiation prolongs single strandedness More mutations accumulate during prolonged time spent stranded. Presumably, and excess affect biochemical processes ultimately morphological outcomes development at whole-organism level. This predicts that developmental increases with OL secondary OL-like structures by five tRNA genes flanking recognized OLs. Stable OLs high percentages OL-resembling adjacent (predicted Mfold) correlate positively in three lizard families (Anguidae, Amphisbaenidae, Polychrotidae). Accounting for effects regular OL, Sfold-predicted propensity entire gene cluster (not individual genes) correlates increased Anguidae, also across free-energy range Boltzmann's distribution structures. In fossorial structure-forming distribution's sub-optimally stable regions, negatively its optimally suggesting thermoregulated functioning vs. as origins. Results polychrotid are intermediate. Anguid possibly function addition to OL. Mitochondrial may thus frequently acquire lose alternative function, without sequence (gene) duplication loss their primary function. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 306B, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.