Question

mitochondrial dna can be taken from bone, hair, or teeth and used in dna typing. what are the benefits to using mitochondrial dna over nuclear dna? check all that apply. mtdna requires a much smaller sample than nuclear dna. mtdna is useful if the nuclear dna is degraded. mtdna is inherited from the mother and fathers egg cells, unlike nuclear dna. mtdna is present in all maternal relatives of the person being investigated. done

Explanation:

• mtDNA requires a much smaller sample than nuclear DNA: Mitochondria are present in multiple copies within a cell (hundreds to thousands), while nuclear DNA is present in two copies (diploid). So, even a small sample can have sufficient mtDNA for analysis.
• mtDNA is useful if the nuclear DNA is degraded: Due to its multiple copies per cell, mtDNA is more likely to survive in degraded samples (like old bones, hairs) compared to nuclear DNA which has fewer copies and is more prone to degradation effects.
• mtDNA is present in all maternal relatives of the person being investigated: mtDNA is maternally inherited. So, an individual's mtDNA is the same as their mother's, maternal grandmother's, maternal aunts', etc. This allows for identification through maternal lineages even when direct nuclear DNA - based parent - child matching (for nuclear DNA which has contributions from both parents) is not straightforward (e.g., in cases of unknown paternity but known maternal line).

• mtDNA is inherited from the mother and father’s egg cells, unlike nuclear DNA: This is incorrect. mtDNA is maternally inherited. Sperm do not contribute significant amounts of mitochondria (and thus mtDNA) to the zygote. Nuclear DNA is inherited from both parents (half from mother's egg and half from father's sperm).

Answer:

• mtDNA requires a much smaller sample than nuclear DNA.
• mtDNA is useful if the nuclear DNA is degraded.
• mtDNA is present in all maternal relatives of the person being investigated.