Internet Reading Instructions and Study Questions
Applications of DNA Typing
10/08/13
Two Readings 1: Read both of the online readings below:
1. http://www.dnai.org/d/index.html (Click on “Recovering the Romanovs” and read all
pages in “The Romanov Family”, The Mystery of Anna Anderson, and “Science Solves a
Mystery”).
2. Analysis of the Romanov Remains
Describe the the types of DNA evidence used to determine that the three girls in the grave were
the daughters of the Tsar and Tsarina?
Readings 2: Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings
1) For the story concerning Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, view all of the videos on this
site: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/jefferson/view/
2) http://www.monticello.org/plantation/hemingscontro/hemings-jefferson_contro.html
1. What chromosome was used for DNA testing to determine if Sally Hemings’ descendents
were related to Thomas Jefferson?
2. How could they use this chromosome if Thomas Jefferson had no male children?
3. Why isn’t the DNA test absolute proof that Thomas Jefferson, himself, was the father of Sally
Hemings’ youngest son?
Reading 3: Click here to read about DNA testing of the Y chromosome.
1. The Y chromosome contains STRs.
a. True
b. False
2. The Y chromosome has a low mutation rate. Therefore, mutations on the Y chromosome
represent a record of its evolutionary past, and are used to assist genealogists and archeologists
in their research. As long as a mutation does not affect the individual's ability to reproduce, it may
be preserved and handed down to offspring. An exchange of a single DNA building block (i.e., a
nucleotide) with another is called a Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP), or a point mutation.
Different combinations of polymorphisms on the Y chromosome are known
as
.
Reading 4: Neanderthals and Modern Humans Scroll to the top and read the entire article.
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/mtDNA.html#more
1. Researchers have obtained and tested the DNA of Neanderthals.
a. True
b. False
2. What type of DNA is used to compare Neanderthal DNA to ours?
3. Why is it easier to use mtDNA rather than nuclear DNA in ancient samples?
4. List some reasons why some researchers feel that Neanderthals were NOT the ancestors of
modern humans or the same species?
Reading 5: Neanderthal DNA Sequenced
NeanderthalDNASequenced.doc
How is this study of Neanderthal DNA different from the previous study?