Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Mendelian Inheritance and Allele Matching
Mendelian inheritance explains how offspring inherit one allele from each parent for a given gene. In paternity testing, the child's alleles at each gene locus must match one allele from the mother and one from the biological father. This principle allows exclusion or inclusion of potential fathers based on allele compatibility.
Recommended video:
New Alleles and Migration
DNA Profiling and Genetic Markers
DNA profiling uses specific gene loci with known variations (genetic markers) to compare individuals. These markers are highly polymorphic, making them useful for identifying biological relationships. Matching patterns between child and potential fathers at multiple loci increase confidence in paternity determination.
Recommended video:
Paternity Exclusion and Inclusion Criteria
Paternity exclusion occurs when a potential father's alleles do not match the child's alleles at one or more loci, ruling him out as the biological father. Inclusion requires consistent allele matches across all tested loci, supporting the possibility of paternity. This concept is critical for interpreting DNA test results in legal cases.
Recommended video: