Which type of DNA is typically used for analyzing ancient or highly degraded biological samples?

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is typically used for analyzing ancient or highly degraded biological samples. This is because mtDNA is present in multiple copies per cell, making it more likely to be preserved in degraded samples compared to nuclear DNA. Additionally, mtDNA has a faster mutation rate than nuclear DNA, allowing for better resolution in evolutionary and population studies.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)