Final answer:
MtDNA is maternally inherited and contains traits encoded by mitochondrial DNA, which, due to lack of recombination, generally remains unchanged through generations except for rare mutations. These mutations allow molecular anthropologists to trace human evolution and lineages back to a common ancestor, known as Mitochondrial Eve.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is inherited exclusively from the mother. A child has exactly the same mtDNA as its mother, unless a novel mutation occurs. This is because, unlike nuclear DNA, which is inherited from both parents, mtDNA comes from the mitochondria within the cytoplasm of the mother's egg cell. The inheritance of mtDNA is an important tool for molecular anthropologists, as it allows for the mapping of human history and tracing lineage back to a common ancestor, referred to as Mitochondrial Eve.
Spontaneous mutations in mtDNA occur at regular intervals and these variations can help scientists trace branches of human evolution, establishing an evolutionary timeline. Despite these mutations, all our mtDNA can be traced back to a single female ancestor who lived in Africa approximately 200,000 years ago. This method of tracing ancestry is supported by molecular evidence and is critical in understanding the divergence of human populations over time.