In 1918, the tsar and tsarina of Russia and their five children were presumably assassinated and buried in an unmarked grave. Later, several women came forward and claimed that they were in fact Anastasia, one of the daughters whose bones had not been found. More recently, forensic scientists have extracted DNA, including mtDNA, from the skeletal remains. Which of the following samples of mtDNA had to be analyzed to discern which, if any, of the claimants was Anastasia?
A)the tsar, tsarina, and the other assassinated children
B)each of the claimants or their living children
C)the tsarina and the claimants
D)the tsar and tsarina only
E)the tsar and tsarina and living relatives of each of them

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To determine if any of the claimants was Anastasia, mtDNA from the tsarina (Anastasia's mother) and the claimants would be analyzed, as mtDNA is maternally inherited.

In 1918, the Tsar and Tsarina of Russia and Their