Some highly degraded DNA was collected from a crime scene.Upon analysis,forensic scientists were only able to accurately sequence one 450-nucleotide-long segment of DNA from a Y chromosome.There are five suspects in the case,but they have fled the state.However,they all have large extended families in the area.How can the police narrow the search to just one suspect?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Since the DNA segment sequenced is from a Y chromosome, only males can have the same genetic information. Therefore, the police should collect DNA from male relatives on the suspect's paternal side, such as their fathers, brothers, or paternal grandfathers, to determine if any of them match the DNA sample from the crime scene. This will help narrow down the search to only male members of the extended family on the paternal side.

Some Highly Degraded DNA Was Collected from a Crime Scene