[Campbell Biology P.360] A human mitochondrial disorder such as Leber's hereditary optic neu... | Practice Question

A human mitochondrial disorder such as Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy is inherited from...

  • A: The father only.
  • B: The mother only.
  • C: Both the mother and the father equally.
  • D: It arises spontaneously and is not inherited.

Explanation

The text states that 'Similar maternal inheritance is also the rule for mitochondrial genes in most animals and plants, because the mitochondria passed on to a zygote come from the cytoplasm of the egg.' This is why such disorders are passed from a mother to all her offspring.