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Name: Terry W.
Status: Other
Age: 60s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: N/A
Question:
Does the Y chromosome change in the male line? For example would my great great great grandfather have had an identical Y to mine?


Replies:
There is a low rate of mutation for all DNA...but his Y chromosome would be close if not identical to yours.

Peter Faletra Ph.D.
Office of Science
Department of Energy

The Y chromosome is passed from father to son and can be used to trace lineages. However, DNA does mutate at a fairly constant rate. When scientists trace chromosomes they take this mutation rate into account.

vanhoeck


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