DNA is primarily located in the cell nucleus, where it is organized into thread-like structures called chromosomes; this DNA is referred to as nuclear DNA

. Additionally, a small amount of DNA is found in the mitochondria, the energy-producing organelles within cells, and this is called mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)

. In plants, DNA can also be found in chloroplasts, known as chloroplastic DNA, which is involved in photosynthesis

. In prokaryotic cells, such as bacteria, DNA is not enclosed in a nucleus but is located in a nucleoid region, often as a circular chromosome