title: Replication of vertebrate mitochondrial DNA entails transient ribonucleotide incorporation throughout the lagging strand.
abstract: Using two-dimensional agarose gel electrophoresis, we show that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication of birds and mammals frequently entails ribonucleotide incorporation throughout the lagging strand (RITOLS). Based on a combination of two-dimensional agarose gel electrophoretic analysis and mapping of 5' ends of DNA, initiation of RITOLS replication occurs in the major non-coding region of vertebrate mtDNA and is effectively unidirectional. In some cases, conversion of nascent RNA strands to DNA starts at defined loci, the most prominent of which maps, in mammalian mtDNA, in the vicinity of the site known as the light-strand origin.
authors.affiliation: MRC-Dunn Human Nutrition Unit, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Takehiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yasukawa
authors.forename: Aurelio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.forename: Tricia J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Cluett
authors.forename: Ming-Yao
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bowmaker
authors.forename: Howard T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Ian J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Holt
mesh_terms: D024506:5' Flanking Region; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D004261:DNA Replication; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D051379:Mice; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000235:genetics; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D012265:Ribonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D012265:Ribonucleotides; D012313:RNA