Mitochondrial DNA

mitochondria are the direct descendants of a bacterial endosymbiont that became established at an early stage in a nucleus-containing host cell (Gray et al., 1999). Mitochondria are surrounded by a double-membrane system, consisting of inner and outer mitochondrial membranes separated by an intermembrane space. (Cooper, 2000). It has the outer membrane and the inner membrane. The membranes are made up of phospholipids and proteins. The mitochondria has an outer membrane which is smooth and…

(CBFA2) (10, 11). It is one of three RUNX proteins found in humans, all of which possess a highly conserved 128 amino acid Runt DNA-binding domain at the N-terminus. The Runt domain is important for binding with consensus sequence (PyGPyGGTPy) in DNA and with core binding factor subunit beta (CBF-β) (12). CBF-β heterodimerizes (13) with RUNX1, enhances RUNX1 affinity for the DNA by 10 fold (14) and stabilizes RUNX proteins against proteolytic degradation (15). RUNX proteins contain a nuclear…

put it simply, the DNA sequences coding the gene are not altered. Instead, the environment around the DNA is altered. The epigenome is the total sum of the epigenetic marks present throughout the genome of a cell (Eichten, Schmitz & Springer 2014). Epigenetic modifications are directed by many different mechanisms in plants that are influenced by various factors throughout its life cycle. The commonly explored epigenetic mechanisms are DNA methylation and histone modification. DNA methylation…

genome includes both the genes and the non-coding sequences of DNA/RNA. The term genome can be applied specifically to mean that stored on a complement set of nuclear DNA but can also be applied to that stored within organelles that contain their own DNA as with the mitochondrial genome or the chloroplast genome. All prokaryotes and eukaryotes genome contain significant portion of repetitive DNA, there are two categories of repetitive DNA in genome: tandem repeats and interspersed repeats…

Daniel Huang Chapter 9 1. Mutations can be very negative in that it can cause cancer in somatic cells. However it is important to note that mutations will also lead to variability which is beneficial to us. Mutations in intergenic DNA affects regulations of protein products which is actually less detrimental than mutations in exons which code for the proteins. 2. Transition is the error that causes the base to change from a purine to purine or pyrimidine to pyrimidine. Transverses are base…

through either non-B DNA structure or chromatin formation…

Antonio Regalado, the senior editor for biomedicine at MIT Technology Review, wrote, “ A group of senior American scientists and ethics experts are calling for a debate on the gene-engineering of humans, warning that technology able to change the DNA of future generations is now imminent.” Since we now have the technology,…

Mitochondrial Origin and Endosymbiosis Numerous biological processes depend on the generation and recycling of ATP to maintain homeostasis and carry out vital roles within a cell. Without mitochondria, the generation of ATP via oxidative phosphorylation would not occur. Cellular energy metabolism generates the most ATP within the mitochondria and during oxidative phosphorylation. Comparison of the different endosymbiosis theories, evolutionary time frames, mechanisms, and genetic testing can…

In the online article “DNA Procedure”, the author Ian Sample explains a procedure of a DNA mitochondrial transplant to help parents who have a risk of passing on genetic diseases to their children. The procedure consists of taking the nucleus from the woman’s egg, inserted it into a donor’s egg, then fertilizing it with the husband’s sperm. This is a very controversial procedure that has been discussed for many years. The procedure is a great thing when wanting to help mothers who cannot have…

Designer babies Knowledge is power of a person that always comes with ideas or information for positive or negative. What is Designer Babies? “Designer Babies whose genetic makeup has been selected in order to eradicate a particular defect, or to ensure that a particular gene is present” (Oxford dictionary). The intelligence of science that has power of human to choose the sex, hair color, and even character of their children, and to create wonderful human’s that seem perfect. “Scientific…