Mitochondrial DNA - As a Tool for Identification

The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is a small circular genome located within the mitochondria in the cytoplasm of the cell. It provides a valuable locus for forensic DNA typing in many circumstances. The field of forensic science has been benefited significantly from the identification, characterization, and basic understanding of the mitochondria. The mtDNA is maternally inherited, so that any maternally related individuals would be expected to share the same mtDNA sequence. This fact is useful in cases where a long deceased or missing individual is not available to provide a reference sample but any living maternal relative might do so.