'Breakthrough': 1 molecule may be promising treatment for family of devastating mitochondrial diseases

POLG-related diseases are a diverse family of conditions all caused by mutations in a gene for a key mitochondrial protein. A newfound molecule could be a promising treatment. Mitochondria — the powerhouses of cells — carry unique DNA that is mutated in specific diseases, causing cells to be starved of energy. Now, scientists have uncovered a first-of-its-kind molecule that can reverse the effects of common mutations behind these genetic disorders. "They [the mutations] can cause very different diseases for which no cure is available," said , an associate professor in...