mtDNA
Science & Engineering abbreviation · Genetics
| Stands for | Mitochondrial DNA |
|---|---|
| Categories | Science & Engineering |
mtDNA stands for Mitochondrial DNA, a genetics abbreviation.
Small circular genome inside mitochondria, 16,569 base pairs long in humans and carrying 37 genes. It is inherited almost exclusively from the mother, has many copies per cell and mutates relatively quickly, which makes it valuable for tracing maternal ancestry, human migrations and identifying degraded remains.
Example: Analysts compared mtDNA from the bones with a living maternal relative to confirm the identity.
Usage notes
Mitochondria descend from bacteria engulfed by an ancestral cell, which explains their separate genome. mtDNA testing helped identify the remains of the Russian royal family in the 1990s. Mutations in mtDNA cause disorders such as Leber hereditary optic neuropathy, and mitochondrial donation ("three-parent IVF") is permitted in the UK.
Related abbreviations
More genetics abbreviations
- LD – Linkage disequilibrium
- lncRNA – Long non-coding RNA
- LOD – Logarithm of the odds (score)
- MAF – Minor allele frequency
- Mb – Megabase
- miRNA – MicroRNA
- ncRNA – Non-coding RNA
- NGS – Next-generation sequencing
- NHEJ – Non-homologous end joining
- ORF – Open reading frame
- PAM – Protospacer adjacent motif
- PRS – Polygenic risk score