DNA in a eukaryotic cell is primarily stored in the nucleus, which is a membrane-bound organelle that acts as the cell's main command center for genetic information. Inside the nucleus, DNA is organized into structures called chromosomes, where it is tightly coiled around proteins called histones to form chromatin. This organization helps efficiently package the DNA and regulate its accessibility for processes like transcription

. In addition to the nucleus, a small amount of DNA is also found in mitochondria, the organelles responsible for energy production. In plant cells, chloroplasts also contain some DNA. This mitochondrial (and chloroplast) DNA is a remnant of their evolutionary origin as independent organisms and exists separately from the nuclear DNA

. Thus, the two main locations of DNA in a eukaryotic cell are:

• Nucleus: Majority of the DNA, organized into chromosomes within chromatin.
• Mitochondria (and chloroplasts in plants): Small amounts of DNA related to energy production.

This distribution contrasts with prokaryotic cells, where DNA is not enclosed in a nucleus but instead located in a nucleoid region within the cytoplasm