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Exploring Mitochondrial Heterogeneity and Evolutionary Dynamics in Thelephora ganbajun through Population Genomics

Summary

Scientists studied the mitochondrial DNA of an edible mushroom species found only in Yunnan, China, called Thelephora ganbajun. They discovered that these mushrooms have unusual genetic diversity in their mitochondria, with multiple different versions of certain genes coexisting within individual organisms. This genetic flexibility appears to be an adaptation that helps the species survive in diverse environmental conditions and prevents the accumulation of harmful mutations.

Background

Mitochondrial heteroplasmy in fungi remains poorly understood despite its evolutionary significance. Thelephora ganbajun, an endemic edible mushroom in Yunnan Province, China, exhibits persistent mitochondrial heterogeneity in natural populations. This study represents a comprehensive investigation of mitochondrial genome architecture and heterogeneity dynamics in basidiomycete fungi.

Objective

To characterize mitochondrial heterogeneity patterns, intron dynamics, and homing endonucleases in 40 T. ganbajun samples from diverse geographical origins. The study aims to elucidate the relationship between mitochondrial heterogeneity and genomic structure, and assess population-level genetic variation and evolutionary dynamics.

Results

Mitogenomes ranged from 64,130-68,859 bp with 21-25 protein-coding genes. Two genes (cox1 and nad5) exhibited multicopy heterotypes with variable copy numbers. 707 introns were identified across four types including normal introns and three homing endonuclease types (LD1, LD2, GIY). Horizontal gene transfer of homing endonucleases was detected across multiple fungal families, with population genetic analysis revealing regional variations in mitochondrial composition.

Conclusion

Persistent mitochondrial heterogeneity in T. ganbajun populations represents an adaptive strategy to environmental conditions, potentially preventing Muller’s Ratchet accumulation of harmful mutations. The study demonstrates that polymorphisms in heterogeneous genes, introns, and homing endonucleases significantly influence mitochondrial structure and evolutionary dynamics, with implications for understanding mitochondrial inheritance in sexual eukaryotes.
  • Published in:International Journal of Molecular Sciences,
  • Study Type:Population Genomics Study,
  • Source: PMID: 39201699, doi: 10.3390/ijms25169013
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