What statement best describes mtDNA?

What statement best describes mtDNA?

• A. mtDNA is DNA in the nucleus inherited from both parents.
• B. mtDNA is RNA that codes for mitochondrial proteins.
• C. mtDNA is DNA found outside the nucleus and inherited only from the mother, useful for analyzing degraded DNA.
• D. mtDNA is a short tandem repeat located on autosomes.

Answer: (C)

Mitochondrial DNA is a DNA molecule located in the mitochondria, outside the nucleus, and it is inherited almost exclusively from the mother. This maternal inheritance means only the mother’s mtDNA is passed to offspring, making it useful for tracing lineage in a straightforward way. In forensic contexts, the practical advantage is the high copy number of mtDNA per cell compared with nuclear DNA, so mtDNA is more likely to be recovered from degraded or limited samples. It is not RNA, it is not part of the nuclear genome, and it is not a short tandem repeat on autosomes, which are features of different genetic systems.

Mitochondrial DNA is a DNA molecule located in the mitochondria, outside the nucleus, and it is inherited almost exclusively from the mother. This maternal inheritance means only the mother’s mtDNA is passed to offspring, making it useful for tracing lineage in a straightforward way. In forensic contexts, the practical advantage is the high copy number of mtDNA per cell compared with nuclear DNA, so mtDNA is more likely to be recovered from degraded or limited samples. It is not RNA, it is not part of the nuclear genome, and it is not a short tandem repeat on autosomes, which are features of different genetic systems.