Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is the most specific and reliable method for determination of mRNA gene expression. Crucial point for its accurate normalization is the choice of appropriate internal control genes (ICGs). In the present work we determined and compare the expression of eight commonly used ICGs in lymphocytes from 26 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) ...

The mitochondrial disease often associated with various illnesses in relation to the activity of cells metabolites and the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), including alteration in the mitochondrial DNA. The mutation of m.9053G>A at the ATP6 gene was found in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM type 2) and cataract. Therefore, this mutation is predicted to be clinical features o...

Saccharomyces cerevisiae Mdm38 and Ylh47 are homologues of human Letm1, a protein implicated in Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. We analyzed the function of Mdm38 and Ylh47 in yeast mitochondria to gain insight into the role of Letm1. We find that mdm38Delta mitochondria have reduced amounts of certain mitochondrially encoded proteins and low levels of complex III and IV and accumulate unassembled Atp...

Large numbers of genes are responsible for Leigh syndrome (LS), making genetic confirmation of LS difficult. We screened our patients with LS using a limited set of 21 primers encompassing the frequently reported gene for the respiratory chain complexes I (ND1-ND6, and ND4L), IV(SURF1), and V(ATP6) and the pyruvate dehydrogenase E1α-subunit. Of 18 LS patients, we identified mutations in 11 pati...

Mitochondrial genes are part of the oxidative phosphorylation pathway and important for energy production. Although evidence for positive selection at the mitochondrial level exists, few studies have investigated the link between amino acid changes and phenotype. Here we test the hypothesis that differences in two life-history related traits, migratory distance between spawning and foraging are...

A new genus in the Cantharellaceae, Afrocantharellus, is recognized based on results from phylogenetic analyses of rDNA LSU and concatenated LSU/5.8-ITS2/ATP6 data. It was previously recognized as a subgenus, but comprehensive fieldwork and the acquisition of numerous sequences for previously neglected African Cantharellus species formed the basis for a reappraisal of generic and species delimi...

The cestod Echinococcus granulosus produces hydatid cysts, which are an endemic zoonotic in Iraq. This study was conducted to assess the common strains and effect of haplotype diversity on fertility status isolated cysts from livers humans other different organs intermediate hosts (sheep, cattle, buffalo, camels), by three mitochondrial DNA genes, including cox1, nad1 atp6 extracted fertile pro...