What is mitochondrial DNA testing?
The MSHP Crime Laboratory performs DNA testing on DNA extracted from the nucleus of the cell. Mitochondria are organelles in the cell that maintain their own autonomous genome. Mitochondria are in much greater abundance than the nuclei of the cell and therefore biological specimens will contain much more mitochondrial DNA. In particular, hair and bone tissue that do not contain nuclei and therefore do not have nuclear DNA and would subsequently lend themselves well to mitochondrial DNA testing. A distinct advantage of mitochondrial DNA testing is that the mitochondrial genome is maternally inherited and does not undergo recombination (hemizygous); therefore the mitochondrial DNA is very useful in comparing maternal lineages. This can be very valuable in missing person’s cases or found body cases. If mitochondrial DNA testing is recommended the MSHP laboratory will assist in obtaining that testing.
