In recent years, DNA sequences (nucleotide sequence) of mt-DNA and Y chromosomes were considered for the study of human evolution, because :-
- They are uniparental in origin and do not take part in recombination
- They can be studied from the samples of fossil remains
- Their structure is known in greater detail
- They are small, and therefore, easy to study
Answer
(1) They are uniparental in origin and do not take part in recombination
Solution
Mitochondrial DNA is inherited only from the mother, and the Y chromosome (non-recombining part) only from the father to son.
⇒ Both are uniparental and do not undergo recombination, so their sequences change only by mutation.
∴ Their lineages can be traced back across generations, which makes them ideal for studying human evolution.
Answer: (1)