Summary
The transmission rules of the mitochondrial genome have been established from the analysis of nucleomorph segregation in several Drosophila mauritiana heteroplasmic strains. The mode of segregation is independent of the nature and the initial frequencies of the nucleomorphs. As predicted from a genetic drift model, the quasicomplete sorting-out will need as many as 500 generations. The number of segregating units, estimated at about 400, fits well the number of mitochondria observed in animal cells.
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Communicated by F. Kaudewitz
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Solignac, M., Génermont, J., Monnerot, M. et al. Genetics of mitochondria in Drosophila: mtDNA inheritance in heteroplasmic strains of D. mauritiana . Mol Gen Genet 197, 183–188 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00330961
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00330961