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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

mitochondrial DNA, mtDNA, Peru, maternal parent, genetic studies

College

Physical and Mathematical Sciences

Department

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Abstract

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is useful in population genetics studies because it is inherited only from the maternal parent. Because there is no paternal contribution and no recombination, mtDNA represents a clear maternal lineage. Four predominant maternal lineages or mitochondrial haplotypes have been found to exist among natives of North, Central, and South America.1 Each of the four haplotypes, A-D, is associated with a unique set of variations in the mtDNA sequence. Variations associated with types A, C, and D are identified using restriction enzymes that cleave specific DNA sequences. Type B is characterized by the presence of a nine base-pair deletion in region five of the mitochondrial genome.

Included in

Chemistry Commons

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