Mitochondria DNA In Forensics

The uses of Mitochondria DNA (mtDNA) is necessary in forensic because the DNA provides forensic science with valuable tools when investigating criminal cases, missing person’s cases and mass disasters (Sandhyarani, 2011; National Institute of Justice, 2013). MtDNA is a small double strand, circular molecule of 16569bp and it contain 37 genes located in a circular genome located outside of the nucleus. There are 2 rRNA, 22 tRNA and 13 polypeptides (Taanman, 1999; Webb, 2008). Most human cell contain hundreds of these mtDNA genome (The Nation Institute of Justice, 2013), which were inherited from the mother’s egg cells because the father mtDNA get destroyed after egg and sperm fertilized (Mitochondria Inheritance, n.d). Sandhyarani (2011) acknowledges that DNA based technology is …show more content…
This is important because many cases had become cold cases and now mitochondria analysis can be used to identify victims (Sandhyarani, 2011). Mitotyping Technologies (2002) highlighted that mtDNA is maternally inherited, in cases that were long decease of a missing individual is not able to provide reference sample but the related individual can. However, these analysis can be problematic because maternal individual lineage relative share the same Mitochondria DNA seq uence (Mitotyping Technologies, 2002). Mitochondria analysis cannot be considered a unique identifier because matching strands of mtDNA can identify various people with the same strands (Mitotyping Technologies, 2002). Despite all these downfalls Mitochondria DNA is useful to analysis degraded or damage materials (Investigating Forensic, 2002). Sandhyarani (2011) stated that mtDNA is more stable and stronger than Nuclear DNA because of the cellular structure and the location inside the cell. mtDNA can also be isolated from sample of individual’s hair shafts, bones, and teeth’s (Sandhyarani, 2011). Murnaghan (2015) also stated that,