Recombination associated with replication of malarial mitochondrial DNA.
Mitochondrial DNA of the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum comprises approximately 20 copies per cell of a 6 kb genome, arranged mainly as polydisperse linear concatemers. In synchronous blood cultures, initiation of mtDNA replication coincides with the start of the 4-5 doublings in nuclear DNA that mark the reproductive phase of the erythrocytic cycle. We show that mtDNA replication coincides with a recombination process reminiscent of the replication mechanism used by certain bacteriophages and plasmids. The few circular forms of mtDNA which are also present do not replicate by a theta mechanism, but are themselves the product of recombination, and we propose they undergo rolling circle activity to generate the linear concatemers.
Preiser
P R
PR
The National Institute for Medical Research, London, UK.
Wilson
R J
RJ
Moore
P W
PW
McCready
S
S
Hajibagheri
M A
MA
Blight
K J
KJ
Strath
M
M
Williamson
D H
DH
D000818:Animals; D004261:DNA Replication; D004270:DNA, Circular / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D007700:Kinetics; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D005810:Multigene Family; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
D004270:DNA, Circular; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D016054:DNA, Protozoan