NUCLEAR DNA

AND

MITOCHONDRIA DNA
(mtDNA)
There are three main differences between nuclear and
mitochondria DNA (mtDNA):

1) mtDNA is circular, whereas nuclear DNA is linear. (Both are

double stranded)

2) mtDNA is (generally) uni-parentally inherited, in most animals

(not mussels though for example), mtDNA is passed from mother
to offspring. 

3) Nuclear DNA is diploid, whereas mtDNA exists in a state of

ploidy. Nearly each cell in the human body contains numerous
mitochondria organelles, each of which harbor multiplie mtDNA
molecules. These mitochondrial DNA molecules can differ from
one another within a single mitochondrion.
Chromosomes are thread-like structures
located inside the nucleus of animal and
plant cells.

*Each chromosome is made of protein and a single

molecule of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).

*Passed from parents to offspring,

*DNA contains the specific instructions that make each

type of living creature unique.
Humans have a total of 46 chromosomes in each body
cell; 

44 of these are autosomes.

You get one set of 22 autosomes from your mom and
another set of 22 from your dad.

It is often easier to think about our autosomes in pairs

because even though we have 44 autosomes, we
actually only have 22 pairs .
 Chromatin
• Eukaryotic chromosomes each contain a long
linear DNA molecule, which must be packaged
into the nucleus.

• The name chromatin is given to the highly ordered

DNA–protein complex that makes up the
eukaryotic chromosomes.

• The chromatin structure serves to package and

organize the chromosomal DNA, and is able to
alter its level of packing at different stages of the
cell cycle.
 Nucleosome
• The nucleosome core is the basic unit of
chromosome structure,

• consisting of a protein octamer containing two each

of the core histones, with 146 bp of DNA wrapped
1.8 times in a left-handed fashion around it.
 The role of H1

• A single molecule of H1 stabilizes the DNA at the point at

which it enters and leaves the nucleosome core, and
organizes the DNA between nucleosomes.
 Nucleotide DNA, DNA+Protein

Nucleosome Chromatin Chromosome

Genom
 Karyotype

Karyotype is a test to identify and evaluate the

size, shape, and number of chromosomes in
body cells.
Karyotyping is done to:
•Find out whether the chromosomes of an adult have a
change that can be passed on to a child.
•Find out whether a chromosome defect is preventing a
woman from becoming pregnant or is causing miscarriages.
•Find out whether a chromosome defect is present in
a fetus. Karyotyping also may be done to find out whether
chromosomal problems may have caused a fetus to be
stillborn.
•Find out the cause of a baby's birth defects or disability.
•Help determine the appropriate treatment for some types
of cancer.
•Identify the sex of a person by checking for the presence of
the Y chromosome.