Mitochondrial DNA

Gordon Simons (simons@stat.unc.edu)
Fri, 26 May 1995 17:33:25 -0400 (EDT)

Glenn Morton states conventional biological opinion when he writes:

"The Mitochondrial DNA is passed only from the Mother."

Let me ask: "How certain are we of this "fact" *for human beings*?

I have been told by folks with a lot more knowledge than I possess that
this widely held opinion lacks adequate scientific support (i.e., hard
evidence). My (very limited) understanding is that some experimental
support for this thesis has been found for some mammals (mice?), but not,
as yet, for humans. If this is wrong for humans, then highly tauted
arguments linked to this "fact" are also in error.

Gordon Simons