"Mitochondrial Haplotype and Mito-Nuclear Matching Influence Somatic Mutation and Selection in Aging"
A study investigates the impact of mitochondrial ancestry and tissue type on the somatic evolution of the mitochondrial genome through age using a panel of mouse strains with identical nuclear genomes but differing mitochondrial haplotypes. Duplex sequencing was used to profile mitochondrial genomes at an unprecedented level of depth and accuracy, revealing mutational hotspots and signatures of selection shaping the mitochondrial genome through age. The study identified haplotype- and tissue-specific mutational hotspots, replication errors, and deletions as dominant sources of mitochondrial somatic mutations, shedding light on the dynamics of mitochondrial evolution and its implications for ageing and age-related phenotypes.