Mitochondria—A billion years of cohabitation

Roberts, Roland G.

doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.2002338

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…The presence of mitochondria in unicellular to mammalian organisms originates from an ancient symbiosis between primitive eukaryotic cells and free-living aerobic prokaryotes. 1,2 Mitochondria are crucial organelles for central cell functions, 3 and they are the principal nutrient-up-taking and energy-producing cell organelle; they also take part in calcium signaling, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, cell death, and diverse cell signaling events. [4][5][6][7] Mitochondria have retained many of their ancestral bacterial features including length, proteome, double membrane, and circular genome.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Blood contains circulating cell‐free respiratory competent mitochondria

et al. 2020

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Mitochondria are considered as the power‐generating units of the cell due to their key role in energy metabolism and cell signaling. However, mitochondrial components could be found in the extracellular space, as fragments or encapsulated in vesicles. In addition, this intact organelle has been recently reported to be released by platelets exclusively in specific conditions. Here, we demonstrate for the first time, that blood preparation with resting platelets, contains whole functional mitochondria in normal physiological state. Likewise, we show, that normal and tumor cultured cells are able to secrete their mitochondria. Using serial centrifugation or filtration followed by polymerase chain reaction‐based methods, and Whole Genome Sequencing, we detect extracellular full‐length mitochondrial DNA in particles over 0.22 µm holding specific mitochondrial membrane proteins. We identify these particles as intact cell‐free mitochondria using fluorescence‐activated cell sorting analysis, fluorescence microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Oxygen consumption analysis revealed that these mitochondria are respiratory competent. In view of previously described mitochondrial potential in intercellular transfer, this discovery could greatly widen the scope of cell‐cell communication biology. Further steps should be developed to investigate the potential role of mitochondria as a signaling organelle outside the cell and to determine whether these circulating units could be relevant for early detection and prognosis of various diseases.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Blood contains circulating cell‐free respiratory competent mitochondria

et al. 2020

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“…All plant species, without exception, have been found to be associated with a diverse community of microbes. The first known association between two microorganisms occurred around 1.45 billion years ago, between a prokaryote now known as a mitochondrion and an archaeon, which led to the creation of eukaryotes (Roberts, 2017). A billion years later, the merging of a eukaryote with a photosynthetic bacterium (now known as a plastid) represented the first step of plant evolution (Sagan, 1967; Gray, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental evidence of microbial inheritance in plants and transmission routes from seed to phyllosphere and root

Abdelfattah

Wisniewski

Schena

et al. 2021

Environmental Microbiology

130

106

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While the environment is considered the primary origin of the plant microbiome, the potential role of seeds as a source of transmitting microorganisms has not received much attention. Here we tested the hypothesis that the plant microbiome is partially inherited through vertical transmission. An experimental culturing device was constructed to grow oak seedlings in a microbe-free environment while keeping belowground and aboveground tissues separated. The microbial communities associated with the acorn's embryo and pericarp and the developing seeding's phyllosphere and root systems were analysed using amplicon sequencing of fungal ITS and bacterial 16S rDNA. Results showed that the seed microbiome is diverse and non-randomly distributed within an acorn. The microbial composition of the phyllosphere was diverse and strongly resembled the composition found in the embryo, whereas the roots and pericarp each had a less diverse and distinct microbial community. Our findings demonstrate a high level of microbial diversity and spatial partitioning of the fungal and bacterial community within both seed and seedling, indicating inheritance, niche differentiation and divergent transmission routes for the establishment of root and phyllosphere communities.

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“…Mitochondria arose as an endosymbiotic bacteria within a larger proto-eukaryotic cell ( Burki 2016 ). The host cell provides a stable environment for the bacterium, and the bacterium contributes a very efficient energy generating system of oxidative phosphorylation to the partnership ( Roberts 2017 ). Like Wolbachia , mitochondria, have a double cell membrane and a largely independent genome supporting the long-held view that they are both passed down from an archaic prokaryote.…”

Section: Hypothesismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Like Wolbachia , mitochondria, have a double cell membrane and a largely independent genome supporting the long-held view that they are both passed down from an archaic prokaryote. The most recent common ancestor of Wolbachia and Drosophila mitochondrial genomes are about 8000 years ago (Bayesian phylogenetic analysis) ( Richardson et al, 2012 ; Roberts 2017 ). Our point is, yes modern-day fruit flies Drosophila, do already have mitochondria but we are using Wolbachia endosymbiosis as an example of how this process occurred and continues to the present.…”

Section: Hypothesismentioning

confidence: 99%