The lineage between deletions/insertions in mtDNA
and ageing can be befuddling. How does one prove
that the mutations in mtDNA precede ageing? Even
then how does one find the cause for mtDNA mutations?
It is also necessary to find similar mechanisms in
lower organisms in which an equivalent process takes
place to support this theory.
Also it is quite a wishful thinking that mutations in
mtDNA alone are responsible for an almost programmed
cell ageing.
I am not being pessimistic, but just trying to control
the euphoria over the mtDNA-ageing theory. We need to
to be more exhaustive in analysis.
For whatever be its worth, I record here a finding related
to the mitochondria genomes. I have analysed the sequences of
three mammalian mitochondria (human, rodent and finwhale)
and found a single 52 nucleotide long conserved sequence.
This conserved sequence lies approximately at the same
location in all the three genomes. This region codes
for the 16s rRNA. This is the longest conserved
sequence between these three.
I can send further details for those interested.
S.Baranidharan
Molecular Biophysics Unit
Indian Institute of Science
Bangalore 560 012 India.
barani at mbu.iisc.ernet.in
fax: 912-080-341683
