Origin of minicircular mitochondrial genomes in red algae

Yongsung Lee, Chung Hyun Cho, Chanyoung Noh, Ji Hyun Yang, Seung In Park, Yu Min Lee, John A. West, Debashish Bhattacharya, Kyubong Jo () and Hwan Su Yoon ()
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Yongsung Lee: Sungkyunkwan University
Chung Hyun Cho: Sungkyunkwan University
Chanyoung Noh: Sogang University
Ji Hyun Yang: Sungkyunkwan University
Seung In Park: Sungkyunkwan University
Yu Min Lee: Sungkyunkwan University
John A. West: University of Melbourne, Parkville
Debashish Bhattacharya: Rutgers University
Kyubong Jo: Sogang University
Hwan Su Yoon: Sungkyunkwan University

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Abstract Eukaryotic organelle genomes are generally of conserved size and gene content within phylogenetic groups. However, significant variation in genome structure may occur. Here, we report that the Stylonematophyceae red algae contain multipartite circular mitochondrial genomes (i.e., minicircles) which encode one or two genes bounded by a specific cassette and a conserved constant region. These minicircles are visualized using fluorescence microscope and scanning electron microscope, proving the circularity. Mitochondrial gene sets are reduced in these highly divergent mitogenomes. Newly generated chromosome-level nuclear genome assembly of Rhodosorus marinus reveals that most mitochondrial ribosomal subunit genes are transferred to the nuclear genome. Hetero-concatemers that resulted from recombination between minicircles and unique gene inventory that is responsible for mitochondrial genome stability may explain how the transition from typical mitochondrial genome to minicircles occurs. Our results offer inspiration on minicircular organelle genome formation and highlight an extreme case of mitochondrial gene inventory reduction.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39084-2

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