Quote:
Originally Posted by MateoinLosAngeles
I understand some traits can only be passed on from the "mother," but does that mean they're always passed? Or that if they're passed, it certainly is from the mother. Because distinguishing grexes could potentialy imply a level of certainty in this transmission that might still require more research and understanding.
I don't know, that's just my speculation as to why it hasn't happened yet.
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"Always" and "Never" are both concepts that over-simplify and most of the time are wrong at least sometimes. Certainly with genetics, where the mixing is statistical. (If there weren't variation, selfings and primary crosses would be a lot more predictable than they are) So my suspicion would be that the effect of mitochondrial DNA is sufficiently variable - and unpredictable - in its contribution (just like the nuclear DNA from the parents) that it wouldn't be reasonable to try to break it out as a separate defining factor. The dice aren't random, but when you roll them you still can't be sure of precisely what you're going to get. Perhaps think of this as rolling 3 dice instead of two (nuclear DNA of father and of mother, and maternal mitochondrial DNA) Characteristics inherited from any of these also don't necessarily stand alone - some interact to enhance or suppress or change the net result in the organism. So along with some randomness, the "dice" may also be entangled.
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