Organelle transcriptomes: products of a deconstructed genome

Genetic drift and mutational pressure have shaped the evolution of mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes, giving rise to mechanisms that regulate their gene expression, which often differ from those in their prokaryotic ancestors. Advances in next generation sequencing technologies have enabled highly detailed characterization of organelle transcriptomes and the discovery of new transcripts and mechanisms for controlling gene expression. Here we discuss the common features of organelle transcriptomes that stem from their prokaryotic origin and some of the new innovations that are unique to organelles of multicellular organisms.