Early twentieth century Russia was in great turmoil as the Bolshevik Revolution

Question

Early twentieth century Russia was in great turmoil as the Bolshevik Revolution ended 300 years of monarchical rule. Tsar Nicholas Romanov, his wife, Tsarina Alexandra, and their five children were placed under house arrest, but disappeared in the summer of 1918. Rumors abounded about their possible execution or escape from Russia Two years later, a young woman named Anna Anderson claimed that she was Anastasia, the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas lI. There was much controversy surrounding Anna's claim. Some believed she was a fraud, others that she was indeed the lost Princess Anastasia. Anna remained steadfast in her claim until her death in 1984 In 1991, the remains of nine skeletons, five male and four female, were exhumed from a shallow grave east of Moscow. Evidence from nuclear DNA showed that three of the young women were related and that one of the men and one of the women were their parents Further evidence from mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) showed that one of the women could be positively identified as Tsarina Alexandra and that one of the men was indeed Tsar NicholasI. The other three women had mtDNA that matched that of the Tsarina's and were identified as three of the Tsar's children. Anastasia and her younger brother, Alexei, were not among those found in the grave. This led to further speculation about Anastasia's possible escape from Russia after her parents were killed In 2007, an additional grave was found near that exhumed in 1991. It contained the remains of a teenage girl and boy. These remains were mtDNA tested, as well as samples from Anna Anderson, uncovered from hospital storage long after her death Analysis of the mtDNA supported the hypothesis that Princess Anastasia had been killed with her family in 1918. Which of the following statements support this hypothesis? Select all that apply Continued below The mtDNA of Anna Anderson bore no resemblance to that of Tsarina Alexandra The mtDNA from the remains of the teenage girl matched that of Anna Anderson Tsarina Alexandra's mtDNA was found to be a match to that of the teenage girl

Explanation / Answer

Q1. Answer: The mtDNA of Anna Anderson bore no resemblance to that of Tsarina Alexandra

Tsarina Alexandra's mtDNA was found to be a match to that of teenage girl.

These two above statements prove that the family of Tsar Nicholas were executed in 1918, because the mtDNA from all five children whose remains were found from graves resembled to their mother Tsarina Alexandra, that means the they were executed though the one girl and boy were found later in other grave but all were executed. So the claim of Anna Anderson was fake and baseless because all the five children were found in the graves which have the mtDNA resembled mtDNA of Tsarina Alexandra.

mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA) was studied to check the resemblance because the mtDNA is harbored from mother only and is devoid of recombination generation after generations and accumulate less change during course of time and can be used for the relationship between mother and child.

Also Anna Anderson bored no resemblance to the mtDNA of Tsarina Alexandra who claimed to be alive and presented herself as daughter of Tsar Nicholas.

Q2. Answer: Average % similarity

First cousins= 12.5%

An uncle and nephew= 25.0%

Second cousins once removed= 1.5%

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