The clergyman said that his grandmother (mother’s side) was still alive and that it would be possible to make contact with her. S. wanted confirmation that this really was his biological grandmother. A Mitochondrial DNA test makes this possible because if S. is this lady’s grandchild, they would both have the same Mitochondrial DNA.
Mitochondrial DNA – The Mother Lode
What is Mitochondrial DNA and where does it come from? Here’s a quick biology lesson. The human body is made up of cells that have two forms of DNA. The first DNA is Nuclear DNA and it is found in the nucleus of the body cells and this DNA contains all of the genes that make us who we are. This type of DNA is what the police departments use to profile individuals and it is also used to complete a paternity test. The second type of DNA is Mitochondrial DNA.
Mitochondrial DNA and How it is Used
Mitochondrial DNA is found inside small cell packets which are called Mitochondria. This is also known as the “power house of the cell” as it is used to create energy for the body. In a sperm cell, the mitochondria are in the tail, but not in the head. When eggs are fertilized, the sperm head will enter the egg, but the trail is dropped off. Therefore, children will only have mitochondrial DNA from their mother. This is the DNA that is used to determine if siblings are biologically related through the maternal blood line.
Mitochondrial DNA is passed on through daughters to their children. Males, however, never pass on their mitochondrial DNA. In testing for biological siblings, this is a very powerful and accurate way to test. In the past, the military DNA laboratories used Mitochondrial testing to identify skeletal remains that were discovered in previous war zones. Today, the US military is using Mitochondria DNA to identify bone fragments found from World War II, Vietnam and Korean wars, etc.
What Else Can Mitochondrial DNA Tell Us?
There are many facts and amazing details that can be learned from Mitochondrial DNA. For example, the lineage can be traced from your mother to your grandmother to your great grandmother to your great-great grandmother, and so on. This DNA can tell you where your maternal line came from, as well as where people with this same type of DNA are living in the world today.
The Mitochondrial DNA sequence is labeled into specific groups. Here is an example: Group 1 might have originated from the Mediterranean region; Group 2 could have descendants from the southern pacific region – think New Guinea and Melanesia); and Group 3 may be found mostly in Russia and Eastern Europe. Today there are 20 plus groups and these groups are divided into subgroups. This type of grouping will allow for more detail on ancestral history.
Who Can Take the Mitochondrial DNA Test?
Men and women can both take this DNA test. A man can trace his heritage back through his mother with the Mitochondrial DNA, but not his father. The same is true for a woman. A likely scenario may be that a grandson is looking for the identity of his mother’s family. He may have been adopted and he wants to find his biological family. This test could be a very powerful advantage to helping him establish his mother’s blood line.
