Mitochondrial DNA

Mitochondrial DNA(mtDNAormDNA) is theDNAinmitochondria.^[1]It is inherited only from mothers, though there are a few rare exceptions.

Mitochondriaare cellularorganellesineukaryoticcells. They convert chemical energy from food into a form that cells can use,adenosine triphosphate(ATP). Mitochondrial DNA is only a small part of the DNA in a eukaryotic cell. Most of the DNA is in thecell nucleusonchromosomes.Inplants,thechloroplastshave DNA as well.

Inhumans,mitochondrial DNA codes for 37genesand with about 16,600base pairsin a circle. Human mitochondrial DNA was the first significant part of thehuman genometo be sequenced. The mtDNA in plants is much larger:Arabidopsishas 367kilobytes.

References

↑Reference books tend to prefer mtDNA as the abbreviation: Klug W.S.et al2012.Concepts of genetics.10th ed, Pearson, p228.ISBN 978-0-321-79578-6;King R.C.et al2006.A dictionary of genetics.7th ed, Oxford University Press, p280.ISBN 0-19-530761-5

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[1] Reference books tend to prefer mtDNA as the abbreviation: Klug W.S.et al2012.Concepts of genetics.10th ed, Pearson, p228.ISBN 978-0-321-79578-6;King R.C.et al2006.A dictionary of genetics.7th ed, Oxford University Press, p280.ISBN 0-19-530761-5

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