Journal
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR BASIS OF DISEASE
Volume 1792, Issue 12, Pages 1097-1102Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2009.03.002
Keywords
mtDNA; Mitochondria; Genetic bottleneck; Inheritance
Funding
- Ataxia (UK)
- Parkinson's disease Society (UK)
- Medical Research Council (UK)
- UK NIHR Biomedical Research Centre
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Mitochondrial DNA mutations cause disease in > 1 in 5000 of the population, and similar to 1 in 200 of the population are asymptomatic carriers of a pathogenic mtDNA mutation. Many patients with these pathogenic mtDNA mutations present with a progressive, disabling neurological syndrome that leads to major disability and premature death. There is currently no effective treatment for mitochondrial disorders, placing great emphasis on preventing the transmission of these diseases. An empiric approach can be used to guide genetic counseling for common mtDNA mutations, but many families transmit rare or unique molecular defects. There is therefore a pressing need to develop techniques to prevent transmission based on a solid understanding of the biological mechanisms. Several recent studies have cast new light on the genetics and cell biology of mtDNA inheritance, but these studies have also raised new controversies. Here we compare and contrast these findings and discuss their relevance for the transmission of human mtDNA diseases. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available