title: A resourceful genome: updating the functional repertoire and evolutionary role of animal mitochondrial DNAs.
abstract: Recent data from mitochondrial genomics and proteomics research demonstrate the existence of several atypical mitochondrial protein-coding genes (other than the standard set of 13) and the involvement of mtDNA-encoded proteins in functions other than energy production in several animal species including humans. These results are of considerable importance for evolutionary and cellular biology because they indicate that animal mtDNAs have a larger functional repertoire than previously believed. This review summarizes recent studies on animal species with a non-standard mitochondrial functional repertoire and discusses how these genetic novelties represent promising candidates for studying the role of the mitochondrial genome in speciation.
authors.affiliation: Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, 90 Avenue Vincent d'Indy, Montréal, Québec H2V 2S9, Canada. Electronic address: s.breton@umontreal.ca.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Breton
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche ed Ambientali, University of Bologna, Via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Milani
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche ed Ambientali, University of Bologna, Via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ghiselli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche ed Ambientali, University of Bologna, Via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Acadia University, 24 University Avenue, Wolfville, Nova Scotia B4P 2R6, Canada.
authors.forename: Donald T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche ed Ambientali, University of Bologna, Via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Passamonti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D054629:Genome, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D040582:Inheritance Patterns; D008297:Male; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008957:Models, Genetic
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins
keywords: ORFan genes; animals; mitochondrial genome; speciation