MicroBiology

Mitochondrial DNA testing is classified under the genetic testing method. It helps to find out more information about the mother’s side family as the Mitochondrial DNA is passed from mother to her child. This article will help you to get an idea of how mitochondrial testing is done.

Mitochondrial DNA is a type of DNA which can be found in the Mitochondria of the cells. Mitochondrial is quite different from the nuclear DNA. The mitochondrial DNA is inherited from the mother only while the nuclear DNA is inherited from both mother and father. When the sperm from the father and egg from the mother join together to form a baby, the tail of the sperm which contains the father’s mitochondrial DNA is left behind due to which only the mitochondrial of the mother is passed to their child.

The mitochondrial DNA testing is done in like nuclear testing. Collection of samples either blood sample or cheek swab is used for testing. Cheek swap is more preferred for the mitochondrial DNA testing rather than the blood sample. These samples are tested and analyzed in the laboratories with the help of some special instruments and the results are obtained.

Mitochondrial DNA testing is done for number of reasons – to understand and establish a direct family link between the mother’s side relatives. It is also used to trace the ancestry of the mother. Many cases of finding the unknown parents of the child are solved using the mitochondrial DNA testing.

Mitochondrial DNA testing is one of the ever growing fields in microbial science and is very useful to mankind in present and future.