title: Evolution by DNA turnover in the control region of vertebrate mitochondrial DNA.
abstract: The control region of animal mitochondrial DNA is heterogeneous, including both highly conserved and highly variable sequences. Within the variable regions, variable number tandem repeat sequences have been described for numerous species. Repeats at one location, just upstream of the origin of replication, show an unprecedented level of length variation in somatic tissue. Recent comparison of these sequences in different species indicates a pattern of DNA turnover acting at different rates and over motifs of various sizes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Viral Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Hoelzel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D014714:Vertebrates
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial