Plasma gene inheritance or cytoplasmic inheritance does not follow the Mendelian pattern of inheritance thus it comes under Non-Mendelian inheritance.

Mutation responsible for the defective mitochondrial function, produce mutant yeast called petite mutant.

Petite mutant are of three types, one is a nuclear petite mutant, which has a nuclear gene mutation, second is a neutral petite mutant, which do not have mitochondrial DNA, and the third one is a suppressive petite mutant.

The phenotype of the child would be determined by the genotype of the mother, such phenomenon is known as a maternal effect.