‘Selfish’ DNA in animal mitochondria offers possible tool to study aging

Nature Researchers at Oregon State University have discovered, for the first time in any animal species, a type of "selfish" mitochondrial DNA that is actually hurting the organism and lessening its chance to survive — and bears a strong similarity to some damage done to human cells as they age. The findings, just published in the journal PLoS One, are a biological oddity previously unknown in animals. But they may also provide an Read more...