EXTRANUCLEAR INHERITANCE

- a transmission of genes that occurs outside of the nucleus

Genetic information in cells

Prokaryotic cell Eukaryotic cell

nucleoid nucleus

plasmid mitochondria

cytoplasm chloroplasts

ribosomes

History
Carl Correns
- German botanist and geneticist
- Did experiments on four o´clock plant (Mirabilis jalapa) (1909)
- Discovered uniparental mode of inheritance (believed the genes were inherited via
cytoplasm)

Erwin Baur
- German geneticist and botanist
- Studied chloroplasts in Pelargonium sp.
- Proposed the theory of plastid inheritance (later proved to be correct)
Later discoveries
- 1949 - experiments on yeast (proved mitochondrial inheritance)
- 60s - mitochondria and plastids contain organelle-specific DNA
- Nowadays - 2 branches:
- Mitochondrial genetics
 - Plastid genetics
There are 3 types of extranuclear inheritance:
1. Vegetative segregation
2. Uniparental inheritance
3. Biparental inheritance

Prokaryotic cell
Prokaryotic genophore
- DNA of a prokaryote located in nucleoid
- Referred to as prokaryotic chromosome
= INCORRECT, no chromatin
- Circular in most prokaryotes = allows
genophore to replicate without
telomeres
- Even in organelles of eukaryotic cells
(mitochondria, chloroplasts) which are
similar to prokaryotes
Plasmids
- A small, circular, double-stranded DNA
molecule
- In bacterial cell and some eukaryotes
- The genes carried in plasmids provide
bacteria with genetic advantages (ex.
antibiotic resistance, enable the
digestion of unusual substances)
- Used as tools for gene transfer (vectors),
manipulation and cloning
- replicon = stretch of the DNA acting as
an origin of repliction
- episomes = plasmids which integrate to
bacterial DNA
- 2 types of plamid inheritance:
1) plasmids inherited by cell replication
2) plasmids integrated in the bacterial DNA before conjugation
LAC operon
- Operon/group of genes with a
single promoter
- These genes allow bacteria to
use lactose as an energy
source
- 2 conditions: absence of
glucose, availability of lactose
- Levels of sugars:
1) LAC repressor = lactose
sensor
2) catabolite activator
protein (CAP) = glucose sensor
3) cAMP = signals very low glucose levels
- gene lacZ = encodes an enzyme (b-galactosidase) responsible for splitting lactose into
readily usable glucose and galactose
- gene lacy = encodes a membrane protein (lactose permaese) which allows the cell to
import lactose
- gene lacA = encodes an enzyme (transacetylase) that attaches a particular chemical
group to target molecules
!Pictures do not have to be a part of notes!
 Transcription of LAC operon

Glucose Lactose CAP binds Repressor binds Level of

transcription

✔ X X ✔ No transcription

✔ ✔ X X Low-level
transcription

X X ✔ ✔ No transcription

X ✔ ✔ X Strong
transcription

Eukaryotic cell
Mitochondria
- Sg. - mitochondrion
- “The powerhouse of the cell”
- ATP - adenosine triphosphate production (energy)
- Contain their own DNA (mtDNA)
- Mitochondria can:
- Fuse together
- Divide via binary fission (with DNA replication)
- → independent from cell division
Mitochondrial DNA
- Circular, not packed in chromatin
- Cca 16 500 base pairs
- 37 genes:
- 13 code for enzymes needed for ATP production
- 2 code for rRNA
- 12 code for tRNA
- → needed for protein making
- Many copies of mtDNA within one mitochondria
- Inherited only from the mother

Chloroplasts
- Plastids
- Site of photosynthesis
 - Contain chlorophylls and other pigments that absorb light (necessary for
photosynthesis)
Chloroplast DNA
- Contain their own DNA (cpDNA)
- 120 000 to 170 000 base pairs
- around 120-130 genes vital for photosynthesis and protein synthesis
- Many copies within one chloroplast
- Inherited from the mother
- Division via binary fission

Endosymbiotic theory
- Endo = inside, symbiotic = mutually beneficial relation
- Mitochondria and chloroplasts were prokaryotes 1.5
billion years ago
- Lived in host cell
- Symbiosis:
1) chloroplasts = producing glucose
2) mitochondria = producing ATP

Specific examples
Killer particles in Paramecium
- Identified by T.M. Sonneborn
- Some Paramecium aurelia produce a substance that has
lethal effect on members of other races
- Reason: particles kappa producing substance called
paramecin, inherited from cytoplasmatic inheritance
Coiling in snails
- Water snail Limnacea – some species have shells which coil to right (D), others to left
(d)
- If mother has alleles dd, her offsprings will have too

Importance of extranuclear inheritance

1. Development of cytoplasmic male sterility in several crop plants like maize, pearl
millet, sorghum, cotton, etc.
2. Role of mitochondria in the manifestation of heterosis (hybrid vigour).
3. Mutation of chloroplast DNA and mitochondrial DNA leads to generation of new
variation.