Parentage Testing Laboratory Problem Solving
Guide
The Parentage Testing Laboratory Problem Solving Workbook
is assembled to educate DNA testing consumers on the different methods
that use DNA to answer questions such as paternity, positive
identification, and solving crimes. The answers are located
below each problem.
The first problem demonstrates how DNA profiles of a Mother and
Father can be used to determine who their child is. The second
problem demonstrates how DNA profiles can be used to solve
a crime. The third problem is used to help people understand
what things use DNA, and what things do not.
Which child (in Figure 2) belongs to the
parents (in Figure 1)?
Did you know that everyone has a unique DNA profile? By looking
at several different locations on the DNA you can see a pattern
that makes you different from everyone else. Furthermore, you
get half your DNA from each of your parents.
By looking at the DNA profiles below, can you determine which
child (in Figure 2) belongs to the Mother and Father (in Figure
1)?
Figure 1: The parents DNA profiles.
| Mother's DNA |
| Location 1: |
10 |
12 |
| Location 2: |
12 |
16 |
| Location 3: |
24 |
28 |
| Location 4: |
15 |
19 |
 |
|
| Father's DNA |
| Location 1: |
11 |
15 |
| Location 2: |
10 |
14 |
| Location 3: |
25 |
27 |
| Location 4: |
15 |
19 |
|
|
Figure 2: The DNA profiles of three (3) children.
| Christina's DNA |
| Location 1: |
10 |
15 |
| Location 2: |
12 |
14 |
| Location 3: |
24 |
27 |
| Location 4: |
16 |
19 |
|
|
| Katie's'
DNA |
| Location 1: |
11 |
14 |
| Location 2: |
10 |
15 |
| Location 3: |
25 |
29 |
| Location 4: |
16 |
17 |
|
|
| Billy's DNA |
| Location 1: |
14 |
16 |
| Location 2: |
11 |
17 |
| Location 3: |
23 |
29 |
| Location 4: |
17 |
20 |
|
|
Answer: The Mother and Father are Christina’s parents.
Billy and Katie have different parents. In Location 1, Christina
got the 10 from her Mother and the 15 from her Father. At the
other Locations, can you determine which marker Christina got
from Mother and which she got from her Father?
Whose DNA is on the Cookie Jar?
Since everyone has a very unique DNA profile, when people touch
things they can leave trace evidence of DNA, linking them to being
somewhere. DNA can be used to solve crimes by putting someone
at the scene of a crime using DNA evidence.
For example, after some cookies were taken from a cookie jar, the
cookie jar was tested for DNA. Below you can see the DNA profile
that was found on the cookie jar. Billie, Christina and Katie all
said that they have never touched the cookie jar.
By comparing the DNA profile on the cookie jar (Figure 3) with
the DNA profiles for Billie, Christina and Katie (Figure 4), can
you tell who touched the cookie jar?
Figure 3: The DNA profile found on the Cookie Jar.
| DNA
on the Cookie Jar |
| Location 1: |
11 |
14 |
| Location 2: |
10 |
15 |
| Location 3: |
25 |
29 |
| Location 4: |
16 |
17 |
|
Figure 4: The DNA profiles of three (3) children.
| Christina's DNA |
| Location 1: |
10 |
15 |
| Location 2: |
12 |
14 |
| Location 3: |
24 |
27 |
| Location 4: |
16 |
19 |
|
|
| Katie's
DNA |
| Location 1: |
11 |
14 |
| Location 2: |
10 |
15 |
| Location 3: |
25 |
29 |
| Location 4: |
16 |
17 |
|
|
| Billy's DNA |
| Location 1: |
14 |
16 |
| Location 2: |
11 |
17 |
| Location 3: |
23 |
29 |
| Location 4: |
17 |
20 |
|
|
Answer: Katie’s DNA matched the DNA found on the cookie jar.
Which items listed below use DNA, and
which do not?
Can you tell which of the following use DNA and which do not?
Remember, DNA is in all living things (Hint: 9 of the items below
have DNA and 9 do not have DNA).
Cat
Dog
Car
House
Chair
Tree
Mouse
Fork
Flower
|
Fish
Bus
Airplane
Truck
Monkey
Computer
Snake
Bug
Book
|
Answers: The cat, dog, tree, mouse, flower, fish, monkey, snake,
and bug are all made using DNA.
|
