By Scientists have found DNA in the nucleus of brain cells, where it shouldn’t be. Bits of genes that typically reside in mitochondria insert themselves at unexpectedly high rates into brain cells’ nuclear genomes.
What’s more, these insertions might be associated with life span. In a study of nearly 1,200 older adults, the more mitochondrial insertions an individual had, the younger they died, mitochondrial biologist Martin Picard of Columbia University and colleagues report August 22 in PLOS Biology. The finding suggests that researchers could someday measure or target the insertions to understand and treat certain age-related conditions or conditions characterized by malfunctioning mitochondria.
