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Multiple Choice
How are mitochondrial genes typically inherited in most animals?
A
Equally from both parents
B
Randomly from either parent
C
Maternally, from the mother only
D
Paternally, from the father only
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that mitochondria are organelles responsible for energy production in cells, and they contain their own DNA, separate from nuclear DNA.
Learn that mitochondrial inheritance is typically uniparental, meaning it comes from only one parent, rather than both.
Recognize that in most animals, mitochondrial genes are inherited maternally, meaning they are passed down exclusively from the mother.
This maternal inheritance occurs because the egg cell contributes the majority of cytoplasm (including mitochondria) to the zygote, while the sperm cell contributes primarily nuclear DNA.
Note that paternal mitochondria, if present in the sperm, are usually destroyed or excluded during fertilization, ensuring that mitochondrial DNA comes solely from the mother.