The human mitochondrial genome is much smaller than the nuclear genome, consisting of 16,569 base pairs. It contains 37 genes, 13 of which code for proteins involved in cellular respiration. Mitochondrial DNA is inherited solely from the mother and encodes for transfer RNA, ribosomal RNA and proteins that are critical subunits of the oxidative phosphorylation complexes. The human mitochondrial genome has a highly condensed structure with minimal non-coding regions and some overlapping genes. It also differs slightly from the standard genetic code.