GROUP 3

Armstrong, Alexandra Emilia L.

BSMT-2C

Elizaga, Jhalen Ross L. Mr.

Dexter Pahayo

Laxamana, Martina Chantal B.

Lualhati, Alyssa Jane B.

Magpantay, Bea Trisha B.

Martinez, Gean Paolo G.

Moreno, Prince Kobe S.

Revadavia, Jessica Marie S.

MITOCHONDRIAL INHERITANCE

I. Objectives: At the end of the activity, the students should be able to:

1. Describe the important characteristics of mtDNA;

2. Explain why mtDNA is only maternally inherited; and

3. Compare and contrast mtDNA from genomic DNA and prokaryotic DNA.

II. Discussion:

Mitochondria are often called the powerhouse of the cell. These cellular
organelles are primarily involve in the production of adenosine triphosphate
(ATP), for energy transfer within the cell. The energy from the food we eat is
extracted through the process called Kreb cycle or Tricitric Acid cycle (TCA). In
human cells, mitochondria are the only organelles that contain their own genes.
Structurally, mtDNA is similar to prokaryotic DNA being double stranded and
circular (in contrast to the double stranded linear DNA in the nucleus of human);
mitochondrial genes occur in many copies per mitochondrion per cell; they
mutate faster than the nuclear. Unlike the nuclear DNA, the genes encoded in
the mitochondria however, contain primarily exons and almost without introns;
and that they are more vulnerable to mutations than the nuclear DNA.
Mitochondrial DNA contains a total of 37 genes; of these 2 are for rRNA; 22 are
for tRNA and 13 encode for proteins that are necessary for oxidative respirations.

Transmission is one of the unique characteristics of mitochondrial DNA.

Unlike the nuclear DNA, mitochondrial DNA is solely maternally inherited, which
means that genes encoded in the mtDNA are likely to be transmitted to all the
children, regardless of gender. It is passed down from mothers to both sons and
daughters, but sons cannot pass along their mothers' mtDNA to their children.
This is because mtDNA is transmitted through the female egg.

III. Materials:

Pictures of pedigree illustrating maternal inheritance

IV. Activity:

In the given pedigree, identify which one best illustrate maternal inheritance?

a. b.

c.
d.

Justification to your answer:

Letter D shows the maternal inheritance pedigree because all the offspring in the
first pedigree are affected and the female offspring passed on the trait to all of
their offspring the while the male with a spouse who doesn’t carry the trait did not
pass it on to their offspring. The inheritance on the first is transmitted through the
cytoplasm of the egg cell of the female and in the second pedigree, it varies
depending on the proportion of mitochondria carrying the mutation.

REFERENCE: Mitochondrial Inheritance. Retrieved from:

https://migrc.org/teaching-tools/genetic-inheritance-patterns/mitochondrial/

V. Questions:

1. Enumerate at least three genetic diseases whose genes lie in the

mitochondria, and are thus, maternally inherited.

- Mitochondrial Encephalopathy, Lactic Acidosis, and Stroke-like episodes

(MELAS), Myoclonic Epilepsy with Ragged Red Fibers (MERRF), Neuropathy,
Ataxia, and Retinitis Pigmentosa (NARP), and Leber’s Hereditary Optic
Neuropathy (LHON) are genetic diseases and are maternally inherited.

REFERENCES: Boles, Richard M.D. & Mason, Terri (2010, July). Inheritance
and Genetics. Retrieved from: https://www.umdf.org/what-is-mitochondrial-
disease/inheritance-and-genetics/
2. Why are mtDNAs more vulnerable to mutation than nuclear DNA?

- mtDNA is prone to damage from reactive oxygen molecules released as a

byproduct during OXPHOS and lacks a DNA repair mechanism that can be found
in the nucleus. Mitochondria’s internal environment is exposed to highly reactive
intermediary products of the respiratory transport chain. They have a high
possibility to be affected by reactive chemical species that are present in high
concentration inside the mitochondria

REFERENCES: Non-Mendelian Inheritance-Lesson 4: Mitochondrial

Mutations.Retrieved from:
http://hihg.med.miami.edu/code/http/modules/education/Design/Print.asp?
CourseNum=2&LessonNum=4

Black, Michael B. (2014, April 18). Retrieved from:

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Why_is_mtDNA_particularly_susceptible_to_
mutation

3. What is heteroplasmy? Is it unique only to mitochondria?

- Heteroplasmy is the presence of more than one type of mtDNA or organelle or

genome within the cell of an individual. It is important in assessing mitochondrial
diseases’ severity. Most eukaryotic cells contain numerous copies of mtDNA
therefore it is common for mutations to affect some mitochondria leaving other
mitochondria unaffected. Heteroplasmy can also occur in photosynthetic plants
that contain mitochondria and chloroplasts. In animals, the only organelle that
contains own genomes is mitochondria.

REFERENCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heteroplasmy