You and your roommate do a genetic analysis and learn that you share the same maternal ancestor 15,000 years ago in Europe. Which genetic material did you analyze to get this answer?

Question

Brooke Foley

Biology

1 May, 23:23

You and your roommate do a genetic analysis and learn that you share the same maternal ancestor 15,000 years ago in Europe. Which genetic material did you analyze to get this answer?

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Answers (1)

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Jagger Holder · Answer 1

Mitochondrial DNA.

Explanation:

Mitochondria is known as the power house of the cell and one of the important organelle responsible for the production of energy. Mitochondria contains its own DNA.

To understand the maternal ancestor history, the mitochondria DNA must be studied. The mitochondria is solely obtained from the mother as the egg contains large amount of cytoplasm that contains mitochondria. The mitochondria can never be inherited from paternal origin as the sperm contains few amount of cytoplasm and mitochondria.

Thus, the answer is mitochondrial DNA.