The high levels of variation characterising the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) molecule are due ultimately to its high average mutation rate; moreover, mtDNA variation is deeply structured in different populations and ethnic groups. There is growing interest in selecting a reduced number of mtDNA single nucleotide polymorphisms (mtSNPs) that account for the maximum level of discrimination power in a given population. Applications of the selected mtSNP panel range from anthropologic and medical studies to forensic genetic casework.
Unidade de Xenética, Departamento de Anatomía Patolóxica e Ciencias Forenses, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain. antonio.salas@usc.es
