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ID 15977
Maternal inheritance
Description:
The DNA found in mitochondria, the energy-producing organelles of cells, is often analyzed to trace evolutionary pathways. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has a high "substitution" or mutation rate, compared with other sites in our genome. mtDNA is transmitted only from mother to child, and can be inherited intact over thousands of generations. Mutations in the mtDNA sequence can be used to reconstruct the maternal lineage of populations.
Keywords:
mtdna sequence,organelles of cells,maternal lineage,maternal inheritance,mutation rate,mutations,pathways,dna,populations,generations
This work by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.Related content:
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