Mitochondrial DNA

of what composes Eurasia. When it comes to DNA and chromosomal lineage, there are many factors that lead to how a person will look, who they will mate with, and what decisions they make in that process. These categories all run under the term genetics. The second week’s lecture said that there are “three major types of genetic data.” There is autosomal, Y chromosome, and mitochondrial DNA. Autosomal is a combination of your mother and father’s DNA that makes you. Y chromosomes come from your

“Between 20 and 25 percent of Leigh syndrome cases are caused by mutations in mitochondrial DNA.The most common of these mutations is found in 10 to 20 percent of Leigh syndrome and occurs in MT-ATP6, a gene that codes for a protein in the last complex of the oxidative phosphorylation chain, ATP synthase, an enzyme that directly generates ATP.” (Leigh’s Syndrome, Wikipedia). Genetic mutations in mitochondrial DNA interfere with the energy sources that run in an area of the brain that plays a role

This essay is based on research done over a study of mitochondrial myopathy, which is a disease of the muscular system. This is a consideration of the short communication article titled; “Short- and long-term effects of endurance training in patients with mitochondrial myopathy”, published by the European Journal of Neurology 2009. This was a collaborative project authored by; T.D. Jeppesen, M. Duno, M. Schwartz, T Krag, J. Rafiq, F. Wibrand, and J. Vissing. Hosted by; Neuromuscular Research Unit

The focus of my assigned project was to demonstrate a defect in mitochondrial protein import in those cells that expressed the mutant huntingtin protein. The majority of mitochondrial proteins are encoded in the nucleus, translated on cytoplasmic ribosomes, and exported to the mitochondria in premature form carrying a mitochondrial targeting sequence on N-terminal side of protein. These proteins are transported through the mitochondrial subunits TOM (translocase of outer membrane) and TIM (translocase

adults. Leigh's disease can be caused by mutations in mitochondrial DNA or by deficiencies of an enzyme called pyruvate dehydrogenase. Symptoms of Leigh's disease usually progress rapidly. The earliest signs may be poor sucking ability,and the loss of head control and motor skills.These symptoms may be accompanied by loss of appetite, vomiting, irritability,

Mutations in mtDNA cause human diseases. Mutations in 12 of the 13 polypeptide-encoding mitochondrial genes have been found to cause human disease. Although many different organs may be affected, disorders of the muscles and brain are the most common. Perhaps this reflects the great demand for energy of both these organs. (Although representing only ~2% of our body weight, the brain consumes ~20% of the energy produced when we are at rest.) Some of these disorders are inherited in the germline

Africa. Gugliotta explains how scientists use mitochondrial DNA, which is passed on only from one’s mother and has a fast mutation rate, to trace modern humans’ origin. By analyzing modern mitochondrial DNA and working backwards, scientists have found that a woman alive in Africa 200,000 years ago had the mitochondrial DNA that is found in people alive today. The woman was named “Eve” and she is, what scientists call, our “most recent common ancestor.” DNA evidence showed that she lived in Africa, which

“Recombinant DNA results when scientists combine nucleotide sequences (pieces of DNA) from two

ophthalmologist, first described distinctive symptoms of central vision loss in a group of patients. Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) was later named in his honor. With the discovery of mitochondrial DNA came the ability to identify the genetic cause of this disease. It is a maternally inherited mitochondrial disease that most commonly affects young men aged 15 to 30 years old. Its painless symptoms usually leave patients with significant, permanent blindness due to optic nerve damage in both eyes

also pass with their defects they have, so that means that the mitochondrial diseases are inheritable. They are the result of the failure in the mitochondria, so when they fail, less energy is generated within the cell. First, the cell will be have injury and then it can produce the cells’ death; if this continues happening throughout the body, then the whole system begin to fail and the person’s life become in risk. The mitochondrial disease primarily affects the children, but it’s becoming more