Is kinetoplastid pan-editing the result of an evolutionary balancing act?
Speijer D.
Department of Medical Biochemistry, AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. D.Speijer@amc.uva.nl
Kinetoplastid U-insertion/deletion type editing is a highly elaborate process to generate translationally competent mitochondrial mRNAs. All evolutionary models to explain its origin and extent in present day organisms lack a convincing description of the advantage(s) responsible for an active increase of the editing potential. This advantage can be found in the gene fragmentation that is inherent in pan-editing which gives protection against loss of temporarily non expressed mitochondrial genes during periods of intense intraspecies competition.
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PMID: 16611574 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]