RNA editing in the mitochondria of a conifer.

A 712-base portion of the mitochondrial gene coxI and the corresponding portion of the coxI transcript were amplified by PCR and by RT-PCR, respectively, from the gymnosperm western red cedar. Sequence comparison of amplified coxI DNA and mRNA revealed 26 C-to-U differences that are best explained by RNA editing of the type known to occur in angiosperms. This finding suggests that mitochondrial RNA-editing of the C-to-U type arose before the divergence of gymnosperms and angiosperms and can be considered a feature common to all higher plants.