A Completely Hands-On Paternity Dispute Using DNA Markers and Rapid Cycling Brassica rapa (Fast Plants Type)

 

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2013, Volume 34

Douglas L. Wendell & Dawn M. Pickard

Abstract

Students resolve a paternity dispute resulting when a female has mated with two males and produced a child. The project uses rapid cycling Brassica rapa (Fast Plants) so it can be fully hands-on for the students. Students pollinate a plant (Mother) with a mixture of pollen from two other plants (Alleged Fathers) to produce the Child. Students purify DNA from leaf tissue and then use PCR and gel electrophoresis to determine genotypes for DNA markers. Multiple child genotypes are possible because one of the Alleged Fathers is heterozygous for each marker used while the other Alleged Father is homozygous.

Keywords:  genetics, DNA fingerprinting, Fast Plants, genetic marker, DNA paternity testing

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (2012)