In order to keep up with heightened interest in non-nuclear genetic material, this volume presents the latest information on the genetics and molecular biology of mitochondria. "Mitochondrial Genomes" discusses the structure, function, evolution and transcription of mitochondrial genomes, as well as the important area of nuclear-mitochondrial genome transactions. Written by active researchers in the field, this volume features chapters on mitochondrial genomes of various organisms - from plants to higher animals. Topics covered include the evolution of mitochondrial genomes in fungi, the structure and function of genomes of mitochondria in plants, flagellates, ciliates, and higher animals, and the endosymbiont hypothesis for the origin of mitochondria. "Mitochondrial genomes" also discusses the genetics of mitochondria, the molecular biology of mitochondria and the origin and evolution of mitochondrial genomes.