Regular bottlenecks and restrictions to somatic fusion prevent the accumulation of mitochondrial defects inNeurospora

• DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2013.0448
• Publication Date: 2014-05-27T01:32:47Z
• Authors: E. Bastiaans; D. K. Aanen; A. J. M. Debets; R. F. Hoekstra; B. Lestrade; M. F. P. M. Maas
• Keywords: Heteroplasmy; Neurospora

The replication and segregation of multi-copy mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are not under strict control the nuclear DNA. Within-cell selection may thus favour variants with an intracellular selective advantage but a detrimental effect on cell fitness. High relatedness among mtDNA individual is predicted to disfavour such deleterious selfish genetic elements, experimental evidence for this hypothesis scarce. We studied opportunities suppressive in fungus Neurospora carrying mutator plasmid pKALILO. During growth, integrates into genome, generating variants. These gradually replace wild-type mtDNA, ultimately culminating growth arrest death. show that regular sequestration variation required effective against First, bottlenecks number copies from which ‘ Kalilo ’ culture started significantly increased maximum lifespan cultures. Second, restrictions somatic fusion fungal individuals, either by using anastomosis-deficient mutants or allotype diversity, prevented accumulation discuss implications these results defects during ageing.