title: Linear mitochondrial genomes: 30 years down the line.
abstract: At variance with the earlier belief that mitochondrial genomes are represented by circular DNA molecules, a large number of organisms have been found to carry linear mitochondrial DNA. Studies of linear mitochondrial genomes might provide a novel view on the evolutionary history of organelle genomes and contribute to delineating mechanisms of maintenance and functioning of telomeres. Because linear mitochondrial DNA is present in a number of human pathogens, its replication mechanisms might become a target for drugs that would not interfere with replication of human circular mitochondrial DNA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nosek
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tomáska
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukuhara
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suyama
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kovác
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004261:DNA Replication; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D006801:Humans; D016615:Telomere
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial