Mitochondria: The Red Queen lies within (comment on DOI 10.1002/bies.201500057).

摘要: From a genetic perspective, sex seems like the worst idea in world. A sexual parent transmits only half of its genes to offspring, compared with all for an asexual parent. Yet despite this considerable cost, vast majority eukaryotes engage sex, which makes evolution reproduction enigma evolutionary biology [1]. So why might be worth cost? Primarily, breaks up associations between alleles at different loci. That is often considered beneficial context host-parasite coevolution, as it host that may once have conferred resistance parasites but no longer do so, while same time generating novel combinations. This called ‘Red Queen’ hypothesis and one major explanations (but not one) so common. However, generality debated: one, selection needs strong outcomes are highly sensitive architecture In issue, Havird et al. [2] suggest hypothesis, mitochondria drive sex. Mitochondria organelles carrying their own DNA (mtDNA), containing indispensable metabolism. Yet, we know from animal taxa mtDNA mutates much faster than nuclear (nDNA). Consequently, metabolism constant jeopardy being disrupted by deleterious mutations, exacerbated limited scope recombination, mutations continuously accumulate (Muller’s ratchet).