An evolutionary comparison of homologous mitochondrial plasmid DNAs from three Neurospora species

Emerging methods for and novel insights gained by absolute quantification of mitochondrial DNA copy number and its clinical applications

The past thirty years have seen a surge in interest in pathophysiological roles of mitochondria, and the accurate quantification of mitochondrial DNA copy number (mCN) in cells and tissue samples is a fundamental aspect of assessing changes in mitochondrial health and biogenesis. Quantification of mCN between studies is surprisingly variable due to a combination of physiological variability and diverse protocols being used to measure this endpoint. The advent of novel methods to quantify nucleic acids like digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) and high throughput sequencing offer the ability to measure absolute values of mCN. We conducted an in-depth survey of articles published between 1969 -- 2020 to create an overview of mCN values, to assess consensus values of tissue-specific mCN, and to evaluate consistency between methods of assessing mCN. We identify best practices for methods used to assess mCN, and we address the impact of using specific loci on the mitochondrial genome to determine mCN. Current data suggest that clinical measurement of mCN can provide diagnostic and prognostic value in a range of diseases and health conditions, with emphasis on cancer and cardiovascular disease, and the advent of means to measure absolute mCN should improve future clinical applications of mCN measurements.

Natural Variation of the Circadian Clock in Neurospora

Most living organisms on earth experience daily and expected changes from the rotation of the earth. For an organism, the ability to predict and prepare for incoming stresses or resources is a very important skill for survival. This cellular process of measuring daily time of the day is collectively called the circadian clock. Because of its fundamental role in survival in nature, there is a great interest in studying the natural variation of the circadian clock. However, characterizing the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying natural variation of circadian clocks remains a challenging task. In this chapter, we will summarize the progress in studying natural variation of the circadian clock in the successful eukaryotic model Neurospora, which led to discovering many design principles of the molecular mechanisms of the eukaryotic circadian clock. Despite the success of the system in revealing the molecular mechanisms of the circadian clock, Neurospora has not been utilized to extensively study natural variation. We will review the challenges that hindered the natural variation studies in Neurospora, and how they were overcome. We will also review the advantages of Neurospora for natural variation studies. Since Neurospora is the model fungal species for circadian study, it represents over 5 million species of fungi on earth. These fungi play important roles in ecosystems on earth, and as such Neurospora could serve as an important model for understanding the ecological role of natural variation in fungal circadian clocks.

Role of Horizontal Gene Transfer in the Evolution of Fungi

Although evidence for horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in eukaryotes remains largely anecdotal, literature on HGT in fungi suggests that it may have been more important in the evolution of fungi than in other eukaryotes. Still, HGT in fungi has not been widely accepted because the mechanisms by which it may occur are unknown, because it is usually not directly observed but rather implied as an outcome, and because there are often equally plausible alternative explanations. Despite these reservations, HGT has been justifiably invoked for a variety of sequences including plasmids, introns, transposons, genes, gene clusters, and even whole chromosomes. In some instances HGT has also been confirmed under experimental conditions. It is this ability to address the phenomenon in an experimental setting that makes fungi well suited as model systems in which to study the mechanisms and consequences of HGT in eukaryotic organisms.

Divergence of a linear and a circular plasmid in disjunct natural isolates of the fungus Neurospora

It is known from DNA hybridization and other studies that Neurospora plasmids are widely distributed across species of this genus. However few comparisons have been performed of the structure of apparently identical plasmids in widely differing geographical and biological locations. We compare pairs of circular and linear mitochondrial plasmids from distant geographical locations. The circular plasmids (LaBelle and Harbin-1) were from different ecotypes of N. intermedia and the linear plasmids (maranhar and Harbin-3) were from different species (N. crassa and N. intermedia). The structures are highly similar at the sequence level showing that they are closely related. Most of the differences are outside the presumptive genes (coding for polymerases). Furthermore, most of the proposed functional motifs have been retained. Sequence divergence is compatible with a distribution model by vertical descent from a common ancestor, but horizontal transmission cannot be ruled out.

Natural plasmids of filamentous fungi

Among eukaryotes, plasmids have been found in fungi and plants but not in animals. Most plasmids are mitochondrial. In filamentous fungi, plasmids are commonly encountered in isolates from natural populations. Individual populations may show a predominance of one type, but some plasmids have a global distribution, often crossing species boundaries. Surveys have shown that strains can contain more than one type of plasmid and that different types appear to be distributed independently. In crosses, plasmids are generally inherited maternally. Horizontal transmission is by cell contact. Circular plasmids are common only in Neurospora spp., but linear plasmids have been found in many fungi. Circular plasmids have one open reading frame (ORF) coding for a DNA polymerase or a reverse transcriptase. Linear plasmids generally have two ORFs, coding for presumptive DNA and RNA polymerases with amino acid motifs showing homology to viral polymerases. Plasmids often attain a high copy number, in excess of that of mitochondrial DNA. Linear plasmids have a protein attached to their 5' end, and this is presumed to act as a replication primer. Most plasmids are neutral passengers, but several linear plasmids integrate into mitochondrial DNA, causing death of the host culture. Inferred amino acid sequences of linear plasmid ORFs have been used to plot phylogenetic trees, which show a fair concordance with conventional trees. The circular Neurospora plasmids have replication systems that seem to be evolutionary intermediates between the RNA and the DNA worlds.

The dynamics of mitochondrial plasmids in a Hawaiian population of Neurospora intermedia

We analysed the distribution of mitochondrial plasmids among 82 Neurospora intermedia isolates from Hawaii; 74% of the isolates carried the neutral circular plasmid Han-2, whereas 38% contained the linear senescence-causing plasmid kalDNA. The distributions of the two plasmids are independent. There is no significant difference between the Kauaian population of 1972 and that of 1976. To further examine the reasons for this frequency distribution we studied the transmission of both Hawaiian plasmids through the maternal parent in a large series of crosses using non-Kalilo isolates as conidial parents. Plasmids can be lost during the sexual cycle. The Han-2 plasmid is transmitted more efficiently than kalDNA. No clear cases of autonomous or non-autonomous plasmid suppression were observed, so loss can be considered accidental. One Kalilo strain proved to be ineffectual as a maternal parent, and this reduced its ability to transmit kalDNA to the next generation. The dynamic balance of plasmids in natural populations over time is probably a result of the interplay of many forces, including those described in this work and those from several other studies on Neurospora plasmids.

Recombination between heterologous linear and circular mitochondrial plasmids in the fungus Neurospora

A strain of Neurospora intermedia from China contains five prominent extragenomic mitochondrial plasmids: three linear elements called zhisi plasmids, and two circular plasmids, Harbin-1 and -2. In one subculture, levels of four plasmids (all three zhisis and Harbin-1) fell to undetectable values and two novel linear plasmids appeared, Harbin-L and -L2, as well as a new small circular plasmid, Harbin-0.9. Cross-hybridization of restriction fragments and DNA sequencing showed that the Harbin-L plasmid was composed of parts of the circular Harbin-1 plasmid and of one of the linear zhisi plasmids. A model is presented in which the Harbin-1 and zhisi plasmids are present within the same mitochondrion, and crossovers at two separate 7 bp sites of sequence identity effectively insert part of the circular Harbin-1 DNA into a zhisi linear plasmid, simultaneously deleting part of the zhisi element. The small plasmid Harbin-0.9 is a fragment of the Har-1 plasmid, and seems to be another product of the recombination process that created Har-L. Recombination of this type could have contributed to the wide array of mitochondrial plasmids found in natural populations of Neurospora.

A kalilo-like linear plasmid in Louisiana field isolates of the pseudohomothallic fungus Neurospora tetrasperma

Two Louisiana strains of Neurospora tetrasperma contain a linear plasmid (LA-kalDNA) with a restriction map identical to the Hawaiian Neurospora intermedia senescence plasmid, kalDNA, but with termini 100 nucleotide pairs shorter. One of these strains also bore a circular plasmid similar to the Hawaiian circular plasmid Hanalei-2. One species probably acquired both plasmids from the other by horizontal transfer, at a time sufficiently distant for sequence divergence to take place. Many LA-kalDNA-bearing derivative strains senesced, but this plasmid does not guarantee senescence. Furthermore, LA-kalDNA does not insert into mtDNA. One senescent strain showed no LA-kalDNA. The plasmids are effectively transmitted via the pseudohomothallic sexual cycle. Single mating-type derivatives transmit plasmids maternally.

Distribution of seven homology groups of mitochondrial plasmids in Neurospora: evidence for widespread mobility between species in nature

A survey of mitochondrial DNAs from over 225 Neurospora and related fungal isolates from around the world uncovered three new homology groups of mitochondrial plasmids, two divergent subgroups of the Fiji plasmid family, and extended previous data about plasmid distribution patterns. Newly-discovered circular plasmids, Java and MB1, and the linear Moorea plasmids, were found in relatively-few isolates. A large proportion of isolates (51%) were found to have these or previously-discovered plasmids in the Varkud, kalilo, LaBelle, or Fiji families. Plasmids in most families were found in isolates worldwide and distributed nearly randomly with respect to species. As many as three types of plasmids were found in single isolates, and plasmids typically were found alone or in pairs in a random, independent pattern. The regional clustering of some plasmids was independent of species, providing a strong argument that horizontal transfer of plasmids occurs frequently in nature. Some plasmid families were much more diverse than others. The Fiji plasmids are a superfamily composed of distinct subgroups defined by degrees of cross-hybridization. Between some subgroups there were large regions of non-homology.

Plasmid diversity in senescent and nonsenescent strains of Neurospora

A sample of 171 natural isolates of Neurospora crassa and Neurospora intermedia was tested for senescence. Of these, 28 strains senesced within the duration of the experiment. These senescent strains, together with a selection of nonsenescent strains, were examined for the presence of mitochondrial plasmids. This was done by digesting mitochondrial DNA preparations with proteinase K, and running these samples on agarose gels. Most of the strains examined, both senescent and nonsenescent, contained plasmids, many of them new. Some new plasmids were linear, as inferred from their resistance to 5' exonuclease and sensitivity to 3' exonuclease. New circular plasmids were also found. Some strains carry several plasmids, and mixtures of circular and linear elements were common. A cross-homology study was performed on a sample of plasmid-bearing strains, and several cases of apparent relatedness were found, some between strains from distant geographical locations. Linear plasmids homologous to the maranhar linear senescence plasmid were quite common. A new member of the LaBelle circular plasmid homology group was found. In the sample tested for homology, no strains contained elements related to the kalilo linear senescence plasmid. The relationship of the new plasmids to senescence is not known. In addition to plasmid monomers, several different types of derivatives were found. The kalilo linear plasmid was found to occur in linear and circular forms of low mobility, presumed to be giant concatamers, and, in some strains, variant sibling structures and ladders of short derivatives were found. Circular plasmids also gave rise to extensive ladders on electrophoresis, probably representing different relaxation states and head-to-tail concatameric series. Some such forms migrated more slowly than mitochondrial DNA. One unique type of plasmid modification observed was a pair of linear elements that had apparently arisen de novo which showed homology to a circular plasmid.

Mitochondrial DNAs and plasmids as taxonomic characteristics in Trichoderma viride

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was purified from 12 isolates of the Trichoderma viride aggregate and found to be, on the average, 32.7 kb in size. Plasmids were present in the mtDNA preparations from 8 of 12 strains of T. viride examined. Plasmids in four of the strains produced ladderlike banding patterns on gels, and these plasmids were studied in detail. The ladderlike patterns were produced by single molecules that were supercoiled to various degrees. Plasmids from two of the strains do not have homology with the mtDNA but do have a limited amount of homology with each other. No phenotype could be associated with the presence of a plasmid. Restriction endonuclease digestion of the mtDNAs produced patterns in which the presence or absence of certain fragments correlated with the classification of the strains into T. viride group I or II. Phenetic cluster analysis and parsimony analysis of the fragment patterns produced groups that corresponded to T. viride groups I and II. The fragment patterns were very diverse, with nearly all strains having a unique pattern. However, two strains of T. viride group I from widely different geographical locations did have identical restriction patterns for all the enzymes used in this study. This result indicates that it may not be possible to use mtDNA restriction patterns alone to identify Trichoderma strains.

Characterization of circular mitochondrial plasmids in three Pythium species

Four circular plasmids, with a monomer size ranging from 3.2 to 4.94 kb, have been identified in isolates of P. aphanidermatum (two different plasmids), P. torulosum, and an unidentified echinulate isolate. The mitochondrial location has been confirmed for three of the plasmids. Each fungal isolate contained a single plasmid, present in both monomeric and oligomeric forms; plasmid monomers were present as open circles and as supercoiled forms. Restriction maps of the plasmids were dissimilar. Hybridization studies using cloned plasmids revealed no DNA sequence similarity among the different plasmids or between the plasmids and the nuclear or mitochondrial genome of the isolates from which they were recovered. Hybridization of labeled plasmid DNA to Northern transfers of mitochondrial RNA for two isolates indicate that what appears to be the predominant RNA transcript is unit length in size. For three isolates, the plasmid was retained following subculturing and was present in all asexual and sexual single-spore progeny evaluated. For one isolate of P. aphanidermatum the plasmid was unstable and was lost during subculturing.

The LaBelle mitochondrial plasmid of Neurospora intermedia encodes a novel DNA polymerase that may be derived from a reverse transcriptase

The LaBelle-1b strain of Neurospora intermedia contains a 4.1-kb closed-circular mitochondrial plasmid DNA, which encodes a single long open reading frame of 1,151 amino acids reported to have sequence similarity to reverse transcriptases. Here, we show that the LaBelle strain contains a novel DNA polymerase activity that is highly specific for the endogenous LaBelle plasmid DNA in nucleoprotein particles and can be distinguished from the mitochondrial DNA polymerase by several characteristics. Photolabeling experiments indicate that the LaBelle-specific DNA polymerase activity is associated with a polypeptide of 120 kDa, which is in good agreement with the size predicted for the protein encoded by the LaBelle plasmid open reading frame (132 kDa). This 120-kDa polypeptide is found only in the LaBelle strain that contains the mitochondrial plasmid, and it cosegregates with mitochondria in sexual crosses, suggesting that it is encoded by the plasmid. The LaBelle-specific DNA polymerase efficiently uses the artificial DNA substrates, poly(dA)-oligo(dT) and poly(dC)-oligo(dG), but despite its reported sequence similarity to reverse transcriptases, it has very low activity with analogous RNA substrates, poly(rA)-oligo(dT), poly(rC)-oligo(dG), or poly(rCm)-oligo(dG). Considered together with the previous sequence comparisons, our results suggest that the LaBelle plasmid encodes a novel DNA polymerase, which was derived from a protein that was at one time a reverse transcriptase but lost its ability to use RNA templates. This DNA polymerase now presumably functions in replication of the plasmid. Our results constitute the first biochemical evidence for a DNA polymerase activity associated with a mitochondrial plasmid. Further, they may provide insight into the evolution of DNA polymerases from reverse transcriptases, as presumably occurred in the course of evolution following the transition from the so-called RNA world to the present DNA world.

The LaBelle mitochondrial plasmid of Neurospora intermedia encodes a novel DNA polymerase that may be derived from a reverse transcriptase

The LaBelle-1b strain of Neurospora intermedia contains a 4.1-kb closed-circular mitochondrial plasmid DNA, which encodes a single long open reading frame of 1,151 amino acids reported to have sequence similarity to reverse transcriptases. Here, we show that the LaBelle strain contains a novel DNA polymerase activity that is highly specific for the endogenous LaBelle plasmid DNA in nucleoprotein particles and can be distinguished from the mitochondrial DNA polymerase by several characteristics. Photolabeling experiments indicate that the LaBelle-specific DNA polymerase activity is associated with a polypeptide of 120 kDa, which is in good agreement with the size predicted for the protein encoded by the LaBelle plasmid open reading frame (132 kDa). This 120-kDa polypeptide is found only in the LaBelle strain that contains the mitochondrial plasmid, and it cosegregates with mitochondria in sexual crosses, suggesting that it is encoded by the plasmid. The LaBelle-specific DNA polymerase efficiently uses the artificial DNA substrates, poly(dA)-oligo(dT) and poly(dC)-oligo(dG), but despite its reported sequence similarity to reverse transcriptases, it has very low activity with analogous RNA substrates, poly(rA)-oligo(dT), poly(rC)-oligo(dG), or poly(rCm)-oligo(dG). Considered together with the previous sequence comparisons, our results suggest that the LaBelle plasmid encodes a novel DNA polymerase, which was derived from a protein that was at one time a reverse transcriptase but lost its ability to use RNA templates. This DNA polymerase now presumably functions in replication of the plasmid. Our results constitute the first biochemical evidence for a DNA polymerase activity associated with a mitochondrial plasmid. Further, they may provide insight into the evolution of DNA polymerases from reverse transcriptases, as presumably occurred in the course of evolution following the transition from the so-called RNA world to the present DNA world.

Independent transfer of mitochondrial chromosomes and plasmids during unstable vegetative fusion in Neurospora

The sporadic distribution of similar introns in organelle, nuclear ribosomal RNA and bacteriophage genes suggests that at least some of these introns are mobile genetic elements. Some plasmids in fungal mitochondria contain intron-like sequences and, like introns, they have scattered distributions within and among species. The occurrence and evolutionary importance of such horizontal transfer of DNA, not only between fungi, but among a wide range of organisms have been matters of much discussion. Here, we report experimental evidence for transfer of Neurospora mitochondrial plasmids from one mitochondrial genotype to another at high frequency during unstable vegetative cell fusion. Exchange of mitochondrial and nuclear genomes can also occur. These observations suggest that vegetative fusion may have a more important role in the mitochondrial genetic structure of natural populations than is generally thought, and may provide an explanation for the distribution of certain plasmids and possibly other mobile genetic elements.

Independent transfer of mitochondrial plasmids in Neurospora crassa

In the ascomycete fungus Neurospora, the distribution of homologous mitochondrial plasmid DNAs in different species and among mitochondrial types of N. crassa suggests that these molecules have moved between lineages of clonally propagated mtDNA. Here we report direct evidence for independent inheritance of mitochondrial plasmids by sexual reproduction which may help explain the distribution of these molecules among mitochondrial lineages.

The mitochondrial plasmid from Neurospora intermedia strain Labelle-1b contains a long open reading frame with blocks of amino acids characteristic of reverse transcriptases and related proteins

We have determined the DNA sequence of the 4070 base pair mitochondrial plasmid from the Labelle-1b strain of Neurospora intermedia. Analysis of the sequence revealed that the plasmid contains a long open reading frame (ORF) that could encode a protein of up to 1151 amino acids. Codon usage in the long ORF shows no clear relationship to Neurospora mitochondrial genes, nuclear genes, nor to the ORF of a different Neurospora mitochondrial plasmid. The long ORF contains regions of similarity to yeast mitochondrial RNA polymerase as well as blocks of amino acids that are characteristic of reverse transcriptases and the ORFs of certain group II mtDNA introns (Michel and Lang, (1985) Nature 316,641). The plasmid gives rise to specific transcripts, some of which may be unit length, and which carry the information for expression of the long ORF. The genetic organization and content of the plasmid suggest that it is related to mobile genetic elements.

Nucleotide sequence of the Varkud mitochondrial plasmid of Neurospora and synthesis of a hybrid transcript with a 5' leader derived from mitochondrial RNA

The Mauriceville and Varkud mitochondrial plasmids of Neurospora are closely related, closed circular DNAs (3.6 and 3.7 kb, respectively; 1 kb = 10(3) bases or base-pairs), whose characteristics suggest relationships to mitochondrial DNA introns and retrotransposons. Here, we characterized the structure of the Varkud plasmid, determined its complete nucleotide sequence and mapped its major transcripts. The Mauriceville and Varkud plasmids have more than 97% positional identity. Both plasmids contain a 710 amino acid open reading frame that encodes a reverse transcriptase-like protein. The amino acid sequence of this open reading frame is strongly conserved between the two plasmids (701/710 amino acids) as expected for a functionally important protein. Both plasmids have a 0.4 kb region that contains five PstI palindromes and a direct repeat of approximately 160 base-pairs. Comparison of sequences in this region suggests that the Varkud plasmid has diverged less from a common ancestor than has the Mauriceville plasmid. Two major transcripts of the Varkud plasmid were detected by Northern hybridization experiments: a full-length linear RNA of 3.7 kb and an additional prominent transcript of 4.9 kb, 1.2 kb longer than monomer plasmid. Remarkably, we find that the 4.9 kb transcript is a hybrid RNA consisting of the full-length 3.7 kb Varkud plasmid transcript plus a 5' leader of 1.2 kb that is derived from the 5' end of the mitochondrial small rRNA. This and other findings suggest that the Varkud plasmid, like certain RNA viruses, has a mechanism for joining heterologous RNAs to the 5' end of its major transcript, and that, under some circumstances, nucleotide sequences in mitochondria may be recombined at the RNA level.