Mitochondrial and plastid genomes in land plants exhibit some of the slowest rates of sequence evolution observed in any eukaryotic genome, suggesting an exceptional ability to prevent or correct mutations. However, the mechanisms responsible for this extreme fidelity remain unclear. We tested seven candidate genes involved in cytoplasmic DNA replication, recombination, and repair (POLIA,POLIB,MSH1,RECA3,UNG,FPG, andOGG1) for effects on mutation rates in the model angiospermArabidopsis thalianaby applying a highly accurate DNA sequencing technique (duplex sequencing) that can detect newly arisen mitochondrial and plastid mutations even at low heteroplasmic frequencies. We find that disruptingMSH1(but not the other candidate genes) leads to massive increases in the frequency of point mutations and small indels and changes to the mutation spectrum in mitochondrial and plastid DNA. We also used droplet digital PCR to show transmission of de novo heteroplasmies across generations inmsh1mutants, confirming a contribution to heritable mutation rates. This dual-targeted gene is part of an enigmatic lineage within themutSmismatch repair family that we find is also present outside of green plants in multiple eukaryotic groups (stramenopiles, alveolates, haptophytes, and cryptomonads), as well as certain bacteria and viruses.MSH1has previously been shown to limit ectopic recombination in plant cytoplasmic genomes. Our results point to a broader role in recognition and correction of errors in plant mitochondrial and plastid DNA sequence, leading to greatly suppressed mutation rates perhaps via initiation of double-stranded breaks and repair pathways based on faithful homologous recombination.

2Mitochondrial and plastid genomes in land plants exhibit some of the slowest rates of sequence 3 evolution observed in any eukaryotic genome, suggesting an exceptional ability to prevent or correct 4 mutations. However, the mechanisms responsible for this extreme fidelity remain unclear. We tested 5 seven candidate genes involved in cytoplasmic DNA replication, recombination, and repair (POLIA, 6 POLIB, MSH1, RECA3, UNG, FPG, and OGG1) for effects on mutation rates in the model 7 angiosperm Arabidopsis thaliana by applying a highly accurate DNA sequencing technique (duplex 8 sequencing) that can detect newly arisen mitochondrial and plastid mutations still at low 9 heteroplasmic frequencies. We find that disrupting MSH1 (but not the other candidate genes) leads 10 to massive increases in the frequency of point mutations and small indels and changes to the 11 mutation spectrum in mitochondrial and plastid DNA. We also used droplet digital PCR to show 12 transmission of de novo heteroplasmies across generations in msh1 mutants, confirming a 13 contribution to heritable mutation rates. This dual-targeted gene is part of an enigmatic lineage within 14 the mutS mismatch repair family that we find is also present outside of green plants in multiple 15 eukaryotic groups (stramenopiles, alveolates, haptophytes, and cryptomonads), as well as certain 16 bacteria and viruses. MSH1 has previously been shown to limit ectopic recombination in plant 17 cytoplasmic genomes. Our results point to a broader role in recognition and correction of errors in 18 plant mitochondrial and plastid DNA sequence, leading to greatly suppressed mutation rates 19 perhaps via initiation of double-stranded breaks and repair pathways based on faithful homologous 20 recombination.It has been apparent for more than 30 years that rates of nucleotide substitution in plant 24 mitochondrial and plastid genomes are unusually low (1,2). In angiosperms, mitochondrial and 25 plastid genomes have synonymous substitution rates that are on average approximately 16-fold and 26 5-fold slower than the nucleus, respectively (3). The fact that these low rates are evident even at 27 sites that are subject to relatively small amounts of purifying selection (4, 5) suggests that they are 28 the result of very low underlying mutation rates -a surprising observation especially when 29 contrasted with the rapid accumulation of mitochondrial mutations in many eukaryotic lineages (6,7). 30Although the genetic mechanisms that enable plants to achieve such faithful replication and 31 transmission of cytoplasmic DNA sequences have not been determined, a number of hypotheses 32 can be envisioned. One possibility is that the DNA polymerases responsible for replicating 33 mitochondrial and plastid DNA (8) might have unusually high fidelity. However, in vitro assays with 34 the two partially redundant bacterial-like organellar DNA polymerases in Arabidopsis thaliana, PolIA 35(At1g50840) and PolIB (At3g20540), have indicated that they are highly error-prone (9), with 36 misincorpo...

The opioid epidemic is a significant public health crisis that has caused extensive harm and devastation in the United States. This literature review aimed to identify the contributing factors and negative consequences of the epidemic, as well as best practices for healthcare providers in managing the epidemic. Overprescribing opiates and opioids, lack of education and opportunity, and being unmarried or divorced were some of the identified contributing factors to dependence on opioids. The epidemic's negative consequences are substantial, leading to increased access to opioids for vulnerable populations, which consequently cause accidental death among men and the degradation of rural community health services. As part of the literature review, we also analyzed the best practices for healthcare providers, including implementing prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs). However, we found that while PDMPs resulted in a decrease in opioid overprescription and an increase in provider confidence when prescribing medication, the evidence for their effectiveness in improving rural community health services or reducing opioid overdoses and opioid-related deaths was inconclusive. Our review highlights that the greatest challenge to overcome is a lack of legal mandates and proper education for healthcare providers on best practices for addressing the epidemic. To regulate and control opioids effectively, tracking and standardizing prescription models by federal agencies and medical institutions is necessary but not enough. Legal action is vital for the successful containment of the opioid crisis.

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We present the first complete stochastic model of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) intracellular replication. Previous models developed to capture VSV’s intracellular replication have either been ODE-based or have not represented the complete replicative cycle, limiting our ability to understand the impact of the stochastic nature of early cellular infections on virion production between cells and how these dynamics change in response to mutations. Our model accurately predicts changes in mean virion production in gene-shuffled VSV variants and can capture the distribution of the number of viruses produced. This model has allowed us to enhance our understanding of intercellular variability in virion production, which appears to be influenced by the duration of the early phase of infection, and variation between variants, arising from balancing the time the genome spends in the active state, the speed of incorporating new genomes into virions, and the production of viral components. Being a stochastic model, we can also assess other effects of mutations beyond just the mean number of virions produced, including the probability of aborted infections and the standard deviation of the number of virions produced. Our model provides a biologically interpretable framework for studying the stochastic nature of VSV replication, shedding light on the mechanisms underlying variation in virion production. In the future, this model could enable the design of more complex viral phenotypes when attenuating VSV, moving beyond solely considering the mean number of virions produced.Author SummaryThis study presents the first complete stochastic model of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) replication. Our model captures the dynamic process of VSV’s replication within host cells, accounting for the stochastic nature of early cellular infections and how these dynamics change in response to mutations. By accurately predicting changes in mean virion production and the distribution of viruses in gene-shuffled VSV variants, our model enhances our understanding of viral replication and the variation we see in virion production. Importantly, our findings shed light on the mechanisms underlying the production of VSV virions, revealing the influence of factors such as the duration of the early infection phase and the interplay between the genome’s ability to switch into an inactive state and viral protein production. We go beyond assessing the mean number of virions produced and examine other effects of mutations, including the probability of aborted infections and the variability in virion production. This stochastic model provides a valuable framework for studying the complex nature of viral replication, contributing to our understanding of single-cell viral dynamics and variability. Ultimately, this knowledge could pave the way for designing more effective strategies to attenuate VSV.