| All organisms have genetic information, which includes important information for constructing and maintaining their bodies. Without exception, this information is recorded by only 4 kinds of nucleotides incorporated in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in all organisms, including viruses. In humans, DNA arrangements arise from 16,569 base pairs (bp) for mitochondrial DNA and 3.2 billion bp for nuclear DNA. Although this information is copied exactly and passed on to subsequent generations, fortuitous mistakes occasionally occur and are passed on to the next generation. These fortuitous mistakes accumulate within DNA and convey individual-specific information, such as differences in the DNA arrangements for specific body parts or differences in the lengths of specific body parts. Comparisons of these differences between populations or between individuals can provide useful information on organisms’ habitats. The Public Works Research Institute of Japan has been studying several of these differences for utilitarian purposes. |
