Tag: mitochondrial DNA
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How do researchers trace mitochondrial DNA over centuries?
From Scientific American: How do researchers trace mitochondrial DNA over centuries? Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is passed from a mother to her children. Fathers cannot pass on their mtDNA, only the extra genetic information on their Y chromosome. Because mtDNA only comes from the mother, it does not change very much, if at all, from generation…
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Mitochondrial DNA Fails to Pinpoint African Ancestry
From Scientific American: Emerging Church Update and events Those hoping to trace their ancestry to a particular African tribe are unlikely to find a perfect match, according to a new genetic study. Researchers report that mitochondrial DNA isolated from African-Americans matched up to distinct African ethnic groups in fewer than 10 percent of cases, based…