Nuclear and mitochondrial DNA are thought to have separate evolutionary origins, with the mtDNA derived from … See more

Across all organisms, there are six main mitochondrial genome types, classified by structure (i.e. circular versus linear), size, presence of introns or plasmid like structures, and whether the genetic material is a singular mo… See more

Mitochondrial DNA is replicated by the DNA polymerase gamma complex which is composed of a 140 kDa catalytic DNA polymerase encoded by the POLG gene and two 55 kDa accessory subunits encoded by the … See more

The two strands of the human mitochondrial DNA are distinguished as the heavy strand and the light strand. The heavy strand is rich in guanine and encodes 12 subunits of the oxidative phosphorylation system, two … See more

In most multicellular organisms, mtDNA is inherited from the mother (maternally inherited). Mechanisms for this include simple dilution (an egg contains on average 200,000 mtDNA molecules, whereas a healthy hu… See more

The concept that mtDNA is particularly susceptible to reactive oxygen species generated by the respiratory chain due to its proximity remains controversial. mtDNA does not accumulate any more oxidative base dama… See more