Human Genetics with Mustard: Use of DNA Markers for Paternity Testing In Rapid-Cycling Brassica rapa (Fast Plants Type)

 

Douglas Wendell, Dawn M. Pickard, Eryn E. Slankster & Mary R. Belz

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2012, Volume 33

Abstract

Students create a paternity dispute consisting of a child with two alleged fathers using rapid cycling Brassica rapa. The students purify DNA from the subjects and use PCR and gel electrophoresis to determine genotypes for variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) markers. Because of heterozygosity in the plants used, a variety of child genotypes are possible. In some cases, a clear conclusion of paternity exclusion can be reached but in others, neither father can be excluded, so students must learn to trace the inheritance of alleles from parents to offspring and evaluate the informativeness of their data. (http://humangeneticsmustard.blogspot.com/)

Keywords:  genetics, DNA fingerprinting, Fast Plants, markers

New Mexico State University (2011)