Autosomal DNA technique

Autosomal DNA technique

Part of: Prelims and GS III – Sci and tech

Context Recently, a living descendant of the famed Lakota leader Sitting Bull has been confirmed using a novel technique for analyzing fragments of the historic figure’s DNA.

• The researchers compared autosomal DNA from Sitting Bull’s hair sample to DNA samples from LaPointe and other Lakota Sioux to establish the familial connection.

Sitting Bull

• Sitting Bull, born in 1831, was chief and medicine man of the Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux, Native American group.
• Sitting Bull was a Hunkpapa Lakota leader who led his people during years of resistance against United States government policies.

What is Autosomal DNA?

• All of us are born with 23 pairs of chromosomes(with few exceptions) that were passed down from parents 
• X and Y chromosomes are part of the 23rd pair of chromosomes which determine what biological sex a person is born with.
• The rest of the 22 pairs are called autosomal chromosomes. 
• Hence Autosomal DNA is contained in the 22 pairs of chromosomes not involved in determining a person’s sex. 
• Autosomal DNA recombines in each generation, and new offspring receive one set of chromosomes from each parent.
• These are inherited exactly equally from both parents

Usage of this technique

• Autosomal DNA tests can tell us a lot about our ancestry with a pretty high level of accuracy. 
• It can be used even when very limited genetic data are available.
• The technique could also be used in forensic investigations.