mtDNA Testing (Maternal Lineage Test)
- Testing for 2 or more alleged relatives £425.00 per person
mtDNA Testing can help two or more individuals verify whether they are biologically related through their maternal (mothers’) line. This genetic test is useful in providing additional evidence of a biological relationship between individuals in difficult or complex DNA testing situations. It is also useful for people who have been reunited after years of separation through circumstances such as adoption.
An mtDNA maternal lineage test works by comparing the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences of two or more individuals. Unlike nuclear DNA, which is found in the cell nucleus and used in most DNA tests, mtDNA is found in the mitochondria, or “powerhouses,” of the cells. Also unlike nuclear DNA, which is passed to children from both biological parents, mtDNA is passed from generation to generation from mothers only. Both sons and daughters inherit their mothers’ mtDNA, but only daughters can pass the mtDNA to their children. It is this fact that makes mtDNA useful for verifying whether individuals are maternally related.
In an mtDNA test our laboratory will compare the mtDNA sequences of two or more individual – male or female – to determine whether they are related through their mothers. Individuals who are biologically related in this way will have similar mtDNA sequences, while individuals who are not will have dissimilar mtDNA sequences.
