AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -In nearly all mammals, this mitochondrial genome is inherited exclusively from the mother, and transmission of paternal mitochondria or mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has not been convincingly demonstrated in humans.

Detailed explanation-2: -A tenet of elementary biology is that mitochondria-the cell’s powerhouses-and their DNA are inherited exclusively from mothers. A provocative study suggests that fathers also occasionally contribute.

Detailed explanation-3: -Our mitochondrial DNA accounts for a small portion of our total DNA. It contains just 37 of the 20, 000 to 25, 000 protein-coding genes in our body. But it is notably distinct from DNA in the nucleus. Unlike nuclear DNA, which comes from both parents, mitochondrial DNA comes only from the mother.

Detailed explanation-4: -The DNA inside mitochondria in humans is indeed passed down from the mother to her children, but sometimes bits of mitochondrial DNA end up inside the nuclear genome of the father and are inherited by the children. The dogma of maternal inheritance is still valid.

Detailed explanation-5: -The mitochondrial genome is inherited from the mother in each generation. As previously mentioned, mitochondrial DNA in humans is always inherited from a person’s mother (Figure 4).