Lifespan effects of mitochondrial mutations

Somatic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations accumulate within various tissues with age, however evidence directly showing the influence of mtDNA natural variations on ageing has been limited to date. Recently, Latorre-Pellicer et al. demonstrated that polymorphisms within mtDNA affect reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, body mass, ageing score, tumour incidence and lifespan of conplastic mice. Here we show that similarly generated conplastic strains, which carry a nuclear Nnt mutation, do not show any alterations in these parameters, demonstrating the relevance of specific mitonuclear interactions in determining mammalian healthspan through increased production of ROS.