%0 Book Section
%A Stoneking, Mark
%+ Human Population History, Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Society
%T Mitochondrial DNA : 
%G eng
%U https://hdl.handle.net/21.11116/0000-0003-16A0-F
%R 10.1002/9781118584538.ieba0322
%D 2018
%* Review method: internal
%X Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is the only DNA found outside the nucleus of the cell. It has a number of useful properties for anthropological studies, including a rapid rate of evolution, maternal mode of inheritance, and being present in hundreds to thousands of copies per cell. Despite being a single genetic locus, mtDNA has contributed enormously to anthropology: it provided the first compelling genetic evidence that favored a recent African origin of our species; when combined with studies of the paternally inherited Y-chromosome, it provides insights into sex-specific features of human populations; and it is particularly useful in studies of ancient DNA.
%K Human origins; migration; sex-biased admixture; ancient DNA
%B The International Encyclopedia of Biological Anthropology
%E Trevathan, Wenda
%V 2
%P 1020 - 1023
%I Wiley
%C Hoboken, New Jersey
%@ 9781118584538