DNA family tree: who is the grandmother, mother, and daughter?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on identifying familial relationships within a DNA family tree using DNA blast results. The user hypothesizes that Group 4 is the grandmother, Group 6 is the mother, and either Group 9 or Group 13 is the daughter based on the tree structure. The key takeaway is that the distance between individuals in the tree signifies their relatedness, with shorter lines indicating closer relationships. The user seeks guidance on justifying their hypotheses with the provided blast scores.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of DNA sequencing and analysis techniques
  • Familiarity with DNA blast tools and their output interpretation
  • Knowledge of genetic relationship concepts and family trees
  • Basic skills in analyzing and visualizing phylogenetic trees
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  • Research the principles of phylogenetic tree construction and interpretation
  • Learn how to analyze DNA blast results for genetic relationship determination
  • Study the significance of genetic distance in determining familial relationships
  • Explore software tools for visualizing and analyzing DNA family trees
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This discussion is beneficial for geneticists, bioinformaticians, and students studying genetics who are interested in understanding familial relationships through DNA analysis.

leoflc
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Homework Statement


By running a DNA blast, we need to identify who is the grandmother, mother, and daughter. And how/why do we know their relationship.

The tree is attached.

Homework Equations



Here are some of the results from blast, I'm not sure if they will help:
Group 1: Sequences: 2 Score:7298
Group 2: Sequences: 2 Score:7245
Group 3: Sequences: 3 Score:7127
Group 4: Sequences: 4 Score:7118
Group 5: Sequences: 2 Score:7448
Group 6: Sequences: 3 Score:7448
Group 7: Sequences: 4 Score:7354
Group 8: Sequences: 8 Score:7075
Group 9: Sequences: 10 Score:7108
Group 10: Sequences: 11 Score:7029
Group 11: Sequences: 12 Score:6977

The Attempt at a Solution



Just by looking at the tree, my guess will be 4 is the grandmother, 6 is the mother, and either 9 or 13 is the daughter. However, I can't justify it.
Where should I look?

Any help is appreciated.

Thank you all.
 

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I don't know enough about this method to help you all the way through the problem, but one thing to keep in mind is that the distance between any two individuals in the tree indicates their relative relatedness. In other words, if the line connecting two individuals is very short, they are closely related, and if it's very long, they are very distantly related.

As an example, 5 and 11 are very closely related, while 5 and 8 are more distantly related.
 

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