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.