Molecular immigrants, or organellar inserts in the nuclear genome of plants
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/KOSMOS.2025.003Keywords
NUMT, NUPT, organellar insertions, plant genome, plant genomicsAbstract
Genetic material is found in plants in three different organelles: the cell nucleus, mitochondria, and chloroplasts. Molecular research has shown that fragments of the organelle's genetic material can migrate to the cell nucleus and integrate with the nuclear DNA. Particularly interesting are inserts of mitochondrial origin - NUMT (Nuclear Mitochondrial DNA) and chloroplast inserts - NUPT (Nuclear Plastid DNA). It has been shown that the phenomenon of insert migration occurs with varying intensity in different species. The search for NUMT and NUPT is an area for innovative research. The analysis involves comparing the sequences of the chloroplast/mitochondrial genome with the nuclear genome and checking whether fragments of the organellar genome are found in the nuclear genome. Understanding the mechanisms and significance of DNA transfer from organelles to the cell nucleus could lead to a breakthrough in the understanding of plant genome function.
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