The problem with mixing mitochondria.

Lane, Nick · Cell · 2012

basic_science · Level V

Where this comes from

Abstract

Mixing of mitochondrial DNAs (heteroplasmy) is unfavorable for reasons unknown. Sharpley et al. show that heteroplasmy has surprising genetic and behavioral effects in mice, even when each haplotype alone produces a normal phenotype. This interference is bioenergetic and may have contributed to the evolution of sexes.