Incest vs mtDNA and the hair found in the trunk

incest vs. mtDNA

Post by mamabear Today at 5:20 pm
I'm not trying to be rude or anything, but mtDNA is only passed through the maternal line. When they don't have DNA on a hair strand, the strand can be tested for mtDNA because hair is mainly composed of proteins, which is what the mitochondria produce and the reason for the presence of mtDNA in hair strands. Now, just because Casey and Caylee have the same mtDNA, it does NOT mean that Lee is the father, it only means that they both come from Cindy's genetic line....
Sorry, but the ignorance that seems to be running rampant on this subject really gets to me.... afro

just a little added tidbit... mitochondria are only passed on through the mother's egg cell. Sperm ONLY contain nuclear DNA, no mitochondria.

You are 100% correct about mtDNA - but I think the speculation on Caylee's paternity comes from testing done to the other fluids found in the trunk. The decomposition fluids and any other "stain" evidence would be what they would be able to extract nuclear DNA from and with that would be able to determine who fathered her if they had a match with someone.

petesaparte wrote:You are 100% correct about mtDNA - but I think the speculation on Caylee's paternity comes from testing done to the other fluids found in the trunk. The decomposition fluids and any other "stain" evidence would be what they would be able to extract nuclear DNA from and with that would be able to determine who fathered her if they had a match with someone.

If they had been able to do a full nuclear DNA study on the 'fluids' they wouldn't be using words like 'similar' etc. ... I don't think. Nuclear DNA should tell them 'yes' Caylee was in the trunk. That is assuming they have the DNA profile from Jesse's paternity test to match it to. JMO but I have a feeling that LP may have heard something in Baez office or somewhere that Casey was accusing Lee of being the father and jumped on those mtDNA test. :scratch:

It is my understanding from the FBI reports released last Friday, that a hair root was preserved for further testing and that this root should contain nuclear DNA. I beleive from what the various forensic experts have stated on NG, the root is what is needed to positively ID Caylee and establish her paternity.