Restriction enzyme analysis of human leukemic mitochondrial DNA

Mitochondrial DNA from both normal human tissue and leukemic human leukocytes (AML and CML) were analyzed by restriction-enzyme digestion, polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis and ethidium bromide staining. Both normal and leukemic human mitochondrial DNA show molecular heterogeneity from individual to individual. This intraspecies variability is significantly higher in leukemias, where most of the cases show unique patterns. We suggest that this variability might be a molecular symptom of mutagenesis.