Given the maternal origin of mitochondria, from mother to offspring through the egg, and coupled with the relatively high mutation rate of mitochondrial DNA, one would expect that a high percentage of mutated, nonfunctional mitochondria would accumulate in cells of adults. One could envision that as a result, a mitochondrial meltdown would eventually occur as generations ensue. Such is not the case, however, and data indicate that over generations, mutations in mtDNA tend to be reduced in frequency in a given lineage. How might this phenomenon be explained?
HINT: This problem involves an understanding of heteroplasmy in mitochondria. The key to its solution is to consider factors that drive evolution, particularly natural selection, and to apply this concept to the presence of many mitochondria in each cell.
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