Quantitative real time PCR (qPCR) is commonly used to determine cell mitochondrial DNA
(mtDNA) copy number. This technique involves obtaining the ratio of an unknown variable
(number of copies of an mtDNA gene) to a known parameter (number of copies of a nuclear
DNA gene) within a genomic DNA sample. We considered the possibility that mtDNA:
nuclear DNA (nDNA) ratio determinations could vary depending on the method of genomic
DNA extraction used, and that these differences could substantively impact mtDNA copy …