Mitochondrial DNA and ageing

Abstract

Mitochondrial DNA is a separate genome located in the cytoplasm of nearly all eukaryotic cells.Its importance in developmental outcome has often been neglected. However, its transmission and replication are strictly regulated during early development, as they are integral to the viability and health of the offspring.The accumulation of mitochondrial DNA mutations has been proposed as a potential mechanism in the physiological process of ageing and age-related disease. Although mitochondria have long been anticipated as a perpetrator of ageing, there was little experimental evidence to link these changes directly with the cellular pathology of ageing. Recently, considerable progress in understanding basic mitochondrial genetics and in identifying acquired mtDNA mutations in ageing has been made. Furthermore, the creation of mtDNA-mutator mice has provided the first direct evidence that accelerating the mtDNA mutation can result in premature ageing, consistent with the view that loss of mitochondrial function is a major causal factor in ageing. This review will, therefore, focus on recent developments in ageing research related to the role played by mitochondrial DNA.