98%
921
2 minutes
20
Mitochondria are unique organelles carrying their own genetic material, independent from that in the nucleus. This review will discuss the nature of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and its levels in the cell, which are the key elements to consider when trying to achieve molecular identification in ancient and degraded samples. mtDNA sequence analysis has been appropriately validated and is a consistent molecular target for the examination of biological evidence encountered in forensic cases-and profiling, in certain conditions-especially for burnt bodies and degraded samples of all types. Exceptional cases and samples will be discussed in this review, such as mtDNA from leather in Beethoven's grand piano, mtDNA in mummies, and solving famous historical criminal cases. In addition, this review will be discussing the use of ancient mtDNA to understand past human diet, to trace historical civilizations and ancient trade routes, and to uncover geographical domestication origins and lineage relationships. In each topic, we will present the power of mtDNA and how, in many cases, no nuclear DNA was left, leaving mitochondrial DNA analysis as a powerful alternative. Exploring this powerful tool further will be extremely useful to modern science and researchers, due to its capabilities in providing us with previously unattainable knowledge.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6562384 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cells8050433 | DOI Listing |
Nature
September 2025
Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Loss-of-function variants in the lipid transporter ABCA7 substantially increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease, yet how they impact cellular states to drive disease remains unclear. Here, using single-nucleus RNA-sequencing analysis of human brain samples, we identified widespread gene expression changes across multiple neural cell types associated with rare ABCA7 loss-of-function variants. Excitatory neurons, which expressed the highest levels of ABCA7, showed disrupted lipid metabolism, mitochondrial function, DNA repair and synaptic signalling pathways.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExp Gerontol
September 2025
Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake Ci
Aging is the greatest risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and is characterized by inflammation, oxidative stress, and cellular senescence. Cellular senescence is a state of persistent cell cycle arrest triggered by stressors such as DNA damage and telomere attrition. Senescent endothelial cells (ECs) can impair vascular function and promote inflammation, thereby contributing to CVD progression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMech Ageing Dev
September 2025
Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Department of Medicine and Surgery, LUM University, Casamassima, Italy.
Age-related skeletal muscle decline is a major contributor to frailty, functional impairment, and loss of independence in advanced age. This process is characterized by selective atrophy of type II fibers, impaired excitation-contraction coupling, and reduced regenerative capacity. Emerging evidence implicates mitochondrial dysfunction as a central mechanism in the disruption of muscle homeostasis with age.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiol Psychiatry
September 2025
Developmental Neuroscience and Neurogenetics Program, The Saban Research Institute, Los Angeles, CA; Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Canada; Division of Endocrinology, Children's Hospital LA, Los Angeles, CA; Department of Pediatrics, Keck Scho
Background: Exposure to early life adversity (ELA), including childhood maltreatment, is one of the most significant risk factors for the emergence of psychosomatic disorders in adolescence and adulthood. Most investigations into biological processes that have been perturbed by ELA have profiled DNA methylation in whole blood and coalesced around perturbations of immunobiology being centrally insulted by ELA.
Methods: To identify novel molecular signatures that are enduringly perturbed by childhood maltreatment, we isolated circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) from plasma collected from adolescent rhesus macaques that had either experienced nurturing maternal care (CONT, n = 7, 4M 3F) or maltreatment in infancy (MALT, n = 6, 3M 3F).
J Biol Chem
September 2025
Institute of Health Sciences, Presidency University, Canal Bank Rd, DG Block, Action Area 1D, New Town, Kolkata-700156, West Bengal, India, Tel: +91 8017086495. Electronic address:
Rotenone, a lipophilic pesticide, is strongly linked to dopaminergic neuronal loss primarily through mitochondrial complex I inhibition. Beyond its well-characterized neurotoxic effects, rotenone also triggers G2/M arrest in cells, but the molecular mechanisms linking this cell cycle perturbation to neurodegeneration remain unclear. Here, we identify HMGB1 as a key player in this process.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF