Lecture 7: Mitochondrial Genetics and Forensic DNA Analysis

Question 1

what are common types of mitochondrial disorders?

Answer 1

neuropathies
encephalopathies
myopathies

Question 2

In what kinds of tissues do mitochondrial diseases usually arise?

Answer 2

CNS
muscle
high levels of ox/phos

Question 3

What is the pattern of inheritance for mitochondrial genes?

Answer 3

matrilineal

Question 4

If a homoplasmic mother is affected with a mitochondrial disorder, what percent of her children would be expected to be affected with the disorder? How would this number change?

Answer 4

100%

only can change through random mutation

Question 5

Why are mitochondrial disorders usually progressive with late onset?

Answer 5

as cells replicate, the number of cells with mutant mito increases

Question 6

What is replicative segregation?

Answer 6

As cells divide, the relative proportions of mutant mito can change over time

Question 7

Why does expression of mitochondrial disease vary between family members?

Answer 7

heteroplasmy

Question 8

What regions of DNA are used to uniquely identify the DNA?

Answer 8

polymorphisms

Question 9

What regions of nuclear DNA are used for DNA fingerprinting? Why?

Answer 9

hypervariable minisatellite regions

most variability

Question 10

What is the CODIS database used for?

Answer 10

exchange and compare DNA profiles of criminals across all 50 states