Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) * How it is inherited? * How it is used in science? * Practice problems

Inheritance of DNA: * Mitochondrial DNA is only inherited from mother to child 100% from the mother * Nuclear DNA is inherited from both parents 50% from each parent

How mtDNA is used? To identify unrecognizable human remains plane crash murder (Wm. Pickton) MIA soldiers World Trade Center disaster To identify maternity of adopted or missing children Chilean dictator Pinochet's death squads created many orphans who were reunited with family members via U of A assistance mass grave idents in Rwanda & Bosnia

How mtDNA is used? mtDNA has been used to assess the ancestry of all races, identify their origins & identify relationships among our species

Mitochondrial DNA Disease: Mutations may exist on mtDNA which pass from mother to child Mutations the father may have inherited would never pass to offspring

Problems involving mtDNA: 1) A loved ones remains have possibly been located in a field. Explain how each of the following relatives can be of use to help connect the remains with their genetic relatives via blood samples: a) victim's siblings e) victim's father b) victim's mother f) victim's father's siblings c) victim's mother's siblings g) victim's children d) victim's uncles 2) A paternity suit has been launched to determine the father. Can mtDNA be used to determine the father of this child? Explain.

Diploma Q involving mtDNA & Gender based inheritance: 1) Male Mussels of the genus Mytilus inherit their mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from both their mother and father. The inheritance of mtDNA in humans differs from that in male Mytilus mussels because human mtDNA is A. identical to the mother's nuclear DNA B. transmitted from the father to all offspring C. transmitted from the mother to all offspring D. a mixture of the father's mtDNA and nuclear DNA 2) Some men have a defect of the Y chromosome called an AZFc deletion, which results in low sperm production. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is a reproductive technology that enables men with this genetic defect to father children. In ICSI, a sperm is injected directly into an egg. Men who have the AZFc deletion and who father children through the ICSI procedure will pass on the infertility trait to A. their sons only C. their daughters only B. all their children D. none of their children