Rethinking mitochondrial metabolism: Intraindividual variability meets population constraints.

Mitochondrial DNA acts as a primary evolutionary engine driving nuclear coadaptation, expanding mitonuclear haplotype pools within species.

• Why it matters: Understanding how mtDNA influences nuclear adaptation is crucial for insights into evolutionary processes and genetic diversity within populations.
• What they did: The study integrates high-resolution 3D structures, population genetics, and comparative evolutionary analyses to investigate mtDNA's role in coadaptation.
• The result: Findings suggest that mtDNA-driven variability balances individual heterozygosity, thereby broadening the mitonuclear haplotype pool within species.