Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA and mDNA) is the DNA located in the mitochondriaorganelles in a eukaryotic cell that converts chemical energy from food into adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Mitochondrial DNA is a small portion of the DNA contained in a eukaryotic cell; most of the DNA is in the cell nucleus, and, in plants and algae, the DNA also is found in plastids, such as chloroplasts.[3]
Human mitochondrial DNA was the first significant part of the human genome to be sequenced.[4] This sequencing revealed that the human mtDNA includes 16,569 base pairs and encodes 13 proteins. As in other vertebrates, the human mitochondrial genetic code differs slightly from nuclear DNA.[5]
^Hassanin A, An J, Ropiquet A, Nguyen TT, Couloux A (March 2013). "Combining multiple autosomal introns for studying shallow phylogeny and taxonomy of Laurasiatherian mammals: Application to the tribe Bovini (Cetartiodactyla, Bovidae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 66 (3): 766–775. Bibcode:2013MolPE..66..766H. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2012.11.003. PMID23159894.