19
AssignmentMultiple Select

Cell Theory

Question 19 • 26-27 Biology A

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.

Answer
A
mtDNA requires a much smaller sample than nuclear DNA.
B
mtDNA is useful if the nuclear DNA is degraded.
C
mtDNA is inherited from the mother and father’s egg cells, unlike nuclear DNA.
D
mtDNA is present in all maternal relatives of the person being investigated.

Explanation

Each cell contains many copies of mitochondrial DNA, so a smaller sample can often provide enough DNA for testing, making A correct. Its many copies also make mtDNA more likely to be recoverable when nuclear DNA is degraded, so B is correct. mtDNA is generally passed from a mother to her children, allowing investigators to compare it with maternal relatives; it is not inherited from the father, so C is incorrect and D is correct.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.