Mitochondrial capture by a transmissible cancer.
Canine transmissible venereal tumor (CTVT) is an infectious cell line circulating in many feral dog populations. It originated once, about 10,000 years ago. Phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial sequences from dogs, wolves, and a geographically diverse collection of CTVT samples indicate that the cancer has periodically acquired mitochondria from its host. We suggest that this may be because the cancer's own mitochondria have a tendency to degenerate, due to high mutation rates and relaxed selection, resulting in host mitochondria being more fit.
Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, UK.
Clare A
CA
Rebbeck
Armand M
AM
Leroi
Austin
A
Burt
D000818:Animals; D046029:Coyotes / Q000235:genetics; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs / Q000235:genetics; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D054629:Genome, Mitochondrial; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014685:Venereal Tumors, Veterinary / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019596:Wolves / Q000235:genetics