Conservation and rearrangement of mitochondrial structural gene sequences

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Abstract
The protein sequences of mitochondrial gene products are conserved in different organisms, and there are definite similarities at the DNA sequence level. In contrast, the overall organization of the mitochondrial genome is drastically different in these organisms. The mt[mitochondrial]DNA of Aspergillus nidulans was studied because a particularly comprehensive analysis of this system can be achieved using genetics as well as biochemistry, and like most eukaryotes it is an obligate aerobe, whereas Saccharomyces cerevisiae is not. A study was made to see whether defined pieces of particular yeast mitochondrial genes show enough homology to Aspergillus mtDNA fragments to enable the corresponding Aspergillus genes to be located on the physical map. This is the case for all 5 genes tested. The 1st data on the physical organization of the structural genes in the mitochondrial genome of A. nidulans are presented.