Chapter 9-3. Romanov Royal Family and Forensics
Higher category: 【Biology】 Chapter 9. DNA Technology
3. Romanov’s appearance and genotype
5. Romanov royal and DNA fingerprint
6. Fingerprint contrast with Romanov pedigree
1. Romanov family
⑴ In 1918, communists (Bolsheviks, Lenin) executed families and servants of the ruling Roman Romanov family (300 years of history) and buried their bodies in the abandoned mines of Yekaterinburg.
① Alexis, who would then succeed the emperor, was suffering from hemophilia. The empress was dedicated to the prince’s health and thus made various mistakes. His disease also served as a cause for which he would not succeed the emperor.
⑵ The fall of the Soviet Communist regime in 1991.
⑶ In 1991, as part of efforts to end the Soviet communist regime, the movement advocating for a proper royal funeral grew louder.
⑷ How can we determine who is who among the nine remains buried in an abandoned mine in Yekaterinburg?
2. Forensic evidence
⑴ Overview
① Forensic Medicine: Deals with medical issues related to the law and falls under the subspecialty of pathology, specifically “autopsy.”
② In 1965, British geneticist Alec Jeffreys first introduced DNA analysis into forensic medicine.
③ **While studying human genes, he accidentally discovered a repeating sequence of 33 base pairs, which he named “minisatellite DNA.”
⑵ Forensic evidence
① External evidence of the exhumed body
○ The exhumed body was severely damaged, making it impossible to find fingerprints or footprints.
○ There was no evidence of toxic substances (circumstantial inference).
② Personal belongings of the exhumed body
○ Items such as gold and porcelain suggest the individual was of noble status.
③ Evidence of bone
○ 6 adults and 3 children according to bones.
○ The pelvic bone had decayed, making it impossible to determine the sex.
○ Superimposing royal family records and bone photographs using electromagnetic imaging matched the remains to the emperor, empress, three of their five children, and four servants (circumstantial inference).
④ DNA fingerprinting
⑶ Questions at the time of the first excavation
① Why are there only three children’s remains out of the five siblings?
② For health reasons, his son Alexis would have died. Is the last princess Anastasia alive?
③ After that, Anna Anderson insisted that she was Anastasia..
3. Romanov’s appearance and genotype
⑴ Wavy Hair (C) and Straight Hair (c), Black Eyes (D) and Blue Eyes (d)
① Wavy hair is dominant over straight hair.
② Black eyes are dominant over blue eyes.
③ The genes for hair texture and eye color are not linked → Mendel’s law of independence applies.
⑵ Emperor: Straight Hair (cc), Black Eyes (D_)
⑶ Empress: Wavy Hair (C_), Black Eyes (D_)
⑷ Wavy Hair (C_), Black Eyes (D_): Tatiana, Maria
⑸ Wavy Hair (C_), Blue Eyes (dd): Anastasia, Olga
⑹ Straight Hair (cc), Blue Eyes (dd): Alexis
⑺ Emperor (ccDd), Empress (CcDc)
① Since the recessive eye color trait (blue eyes) appeared in the offspring of the emperor and empress, the empress must be a carrier. → Emperor: cc, Empress: Cc
② Since the recessive hair texture trait (straight hair) appeared in their offspring, both the emperor and empress must be carriers. → Emperor: Dd, Empress: Dd
4. Romanov and hemophilia : Why did Alexis have hemophilia?
5. Romanov royal family and DNA fingerprint
⑵ The nine individuals in the Yekaterinburg grave have distinct DNA fingerprints.
⑶ Romanov families seem to be more similar in bands than servants.
⑷ Royal children’s bands must match at least one parent’s band.
① Because the chromosomes of royal children are either paternal or maternal.
⑸ Identified as the emperor and empress (adults 1 and 3), three daughters (children 1, 2, and 3), and four servants (adults 2, 4, 5, and 6).
6. Fingerprint contrast with Romanov pedigree
⑴ Comparing the DNA fingerprints of the relatives of the emperor and the empress to confirm the Romanov family.
⑵ The bone of the adult male related to the children was related to Emperor’s brother George.
⑶ The bone of the adult woman related to the children was linked to Philip, the great-nephew of the empress.
⑷ Conclusion: The tomb contains the emperor, the empress, three children, and four servants.
⑸ Anastasia and Alexis’ remains were found in further excavations.
Input: 2015.7.02 12:14