Medical genetics If there is a mutation in a mitochondrial gene, it is passed from a mother to all of her children: sons will not pass it on, but daughters will pass it on to all of their children, and so onMedical Genetics If there is a mutation in a mitochondrial gene, it is passed from a mother to all of her children; sons will not pass it on, but daughters will pass it on to all of their children, and so on