How is mitochondrial DNA different to DNA?
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) makes up our genetic material, and carries instructions for the biochemical processes of development and life. It comprises a double-stranded chain/sequence of c. 3,000,000,000 bases. Four types of bases are present in DNA, their chemical names are: adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine. Mitochondrial DNA is a relatively simple stretch of DNA made up of about 16,570 bases. Unlike nuclear DNA, it is not unique, in that it is shared by many generations of the same motherline.
Related Questions
- I have looked at all of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) pages. Why don they show me admixture percentages for ancestry from different lines?
- I am looking at my mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) Ancestral Origins page. Why are so many different countries listed?
- How is mitochondrial DNA different from chromosomal DNA?
