Posts Tagged ‘mtDNA’

Mitochondrial DNA Genealogy

The mitochondrial DNA genealogy is the study of a person’s mother’s family line of maternal ancestors. This DNA is passed down from mother to each of her children exactly as she has it, with no mutations, except in the very rare instances.

Because of the traditions in our society of the wife taking her husband’s last name, a surname genealogy trace of the female line of the family tree is more difficult. On the flip side, since this DNA strand is more stable than the Y DNA, more conclusive results can be determined for the testing of it.

The mt-DNA is sometimes referred to as the Full Genomic Sequence (FGS). Since this DNA changes or mutates so rarely and slowly over time, a perfect match to an ancestor can be found who lived several hundred years ago.

The mtDNA of a person is not located in the nucleus of the sample cell but in the cytoplasm. This is the cellular material that is passed down from generation to generation. For those that wish to test this strand of DNA, they must be aware of one fact. The males receive this strand from their mothers, but that is where it ends.

Males pass on only the Y DNA chromosome. Because of this, a male has no genetic marker from their grandfather’s on their mother’s side. For this part of a family tree to be traced, a sample from a close relative, like a male sibling of the mother, would need to be obtained.

For this reason, the old saying that sons were the only carriers of the family blood line is more accurately stated as the only ones passing down the family DNA line. The mitochondrial DNA genealogy is only for determining the mother’s side of the family from child to female.

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Genealogical DNA Test

The genealogical DNA test that is readily available for any one to take has been refined over the years to give accurate and informative information about the ancestral past of the subject. Because of the popularity of this kind of test, the prices have decreased in recent years making the availability of even more results and family lines available for genealogist to use in their work.

The simplicity of the test makes it possible for most anyone to take the sample at their home. This helps to avoid an unnecessary expense of traveling to a certified laboratory and having a technician take the sample.

A sample is taken by rubbing a cotton swab, or a provided paddle type scraper, on a person’s cheek inside the mouth. This collects numerous cells that contains the DNA. This sampling technique is the simplest that can be used. The only decision a person needs to make is how thorough of a test that is to be conducted should be. The more markers that are identified, the more information can be discovered.

There are two distinctly different tests that can be conducted. The Y DNA is for the father’s lineage while the mtDNA is from the mother lineage. With the Y DNA, there are repeating nucleotides that are called Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) that are identified. There are over 100 of these present but the maximum testing usually only contains 67 of them for thorough results.

With mtDNA, the Single Nucleotides Polymorphisms (SNPs) are tested. These are passed down from every mother to her children without mutations. This is a stable DNA that can be traced back in time to which Haplogroup a person originates from. The basic test involves 12 markers but just like the Y DNA, up to 67 markers can be identified and used for analysis.

Depending on the thoroughness of the desired results, a genealogical DNA test can range in cost from just under $100 up to $700. The choice is that of the person desiring the results.

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Genealogy DNA Testing: What’s it All About?

With genealogy DNA testing, a person or family can trace back their heritage or lineage to who their ancestors were and where they came from. The way this is accomplished is by examining the different nucleotides on the DNA sample and where they are located on the strain.

Unlike other DNA testing results, this is for ancestral heritage only. The DNA testing for medical purposes that include genetic diseases and disorders is not what this test will uncover.

The testing of DNA for genealogy purposes involves identifying certain nucleotide markers from the current sample with those in a historical database that contains ancestral populations from the distant past.

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For males, both the father’s and mother’s ancestral lines can be explored, while for females, only their mother’s ancestors can be uncovered. This is because males have both the Y DNA chromosome and the mt DNA chromosome.

The Y chromosome is the genetic marker that is passed down from father to son and is unchanged. This is the path that can be followed for both the surname ancestral path and genetic markup. If a female wishes to know their father’s lineage, a sample from their brother, father, uncle, or grandfather can trace back the Y chromosome line of heritage. In time, this genetic marker changes slightly so perfect matches over thousands of years is unobtainable.

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The mtDNA is the genetic marker every mother passes down to their children. This is for both males and females the woman gives birth to. Unlike the Y DNA, the mtDNA does not change over time and perfect matches with samples thousands of years old is very common.

This is a general description of the potential a person can expect when they have genealogy DNA testing done when looking into the past history of their family.

Genealogical DNA Testing keeps advancing and now the latest types of autosomal testing can even help discover your level of Native American Ancestry.

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DNA Testing for Ancestry

With DNA testing for ancestry, the field of Genealogy has more tools than ever to discover your family tree.  No longer is there the need to dig deep into historical records and family history, although there will still be plenty of this fun stuff to do.  A simple DNA test can start you on the road to discovering your ancestors from 10,000 years ago.

Men and women can both test their DNA to learn the origin of their maternal ancestry.  A specific kind of test called mtDNA or mitochondrial DNA, searches only the women along the line, no men.  Women and men both receive their mtDNA from their mother.

Men can learn the origin of their paternal line by testing their Y chromosome.  The Y chromosome test checks only the paternal line. Women do not have Y DNA and cannot be tested for their paternal line.  If they want to know their paternal ancestry they must ask a brother or their father to be tested.

Once the DNA sample is taken, genealogists will determine your haplogroup.  This is a set of a people with a common ancestor, often from 10,000 to 150,000 years ago, the time when humans evolved in Africa and then migrated around the world.  Men have both a paternal and maternal haplogroup; women have only the maternal haplogroup because they bear only X chromosomes while men have an X and a Y.

A fascinating result of the DNA test is to see where your ancient family members migrated across the globe.  You’ll see how mutations in early genetic lines affect your family too.   You’ll learn all the genetic influences in your ancient family tree.  You may have Asian influence you don’t know about or you may be related to Napolean or a U.S. President.   DNA testing for ancestry will provide knowledge about your unique family history you never thought possible.

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The Limits of Ancestral DNA testing

Genealogists turn to ancestral DNA testing to answer questions that historical records alone cannot.  All people of the world have DNA so it makes sense they would form a large information base about the evolution of humans.

It isn’t necessary to test every member of a family to learn their origins.  Women carry mtDNA because they lack the Y chromosome that men have to determine the male gender.  Brothers and sisters share the same mtDNA and brothers share the same Y DNA.   MtDNA yields information about the maternal line of a family.  Mt is short for mitochondria present in both men and women.  Y DNA tests the paternal line.

Here is what you can learn from a DNA test for ancestry:

Do your ancestors originate from Europe, or the farmers from the Middle East?  Europeans came from seven maternal clans and your DNA can spot the markers that show the specific area of Europe where your mother’s family originated.

Even if you are Caucasian you may discover a bloodline that points to Africa and the oldest human population from 100,000 years ago.  Some of the early tribes are the Bantu, Ibo and Kung.

Native Americans are predominately from four clans which migrated from the Old World.  Native Americans today seek to know which modern tribe they are from and DNA evidence of early tribal migration narrows the focus of an otherwise broad population sample.

Some families today are conducting surname projects to learn the origin of their last name.   Whether the name is Jones or Andrianopoulos, families want to know who they are related to around the world.

The human race has been mixing since it evolved in Africa 150,000 years ago.  You may find identifying markers from several groups that don’t seem connected because of the constant evolution of families.  If you’re looking for many answers to specific questions, proceed with ancestral DNA testing with an open mind.  Collectively the more people that do have genealogy DNA testing performed will help to grow the database for the overall study.

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Ancestry DNA Test: A Most Revealing Test

The most common ancestry DNA test is the Y-DNA and the mtDNA test.  Using the genetic information in these tests, you can answer questions about your long-ago history that your grandparents and historical documents can’t provide.

There are 100 labs worldwide that collect DNA material for genetic testing. All tests are basically the same.  They require a swab of the inside of your cheek and use it to establish a database of comparison.

The Y-DNA test will establish the direct line ancestry of your father since only males have a Y chromosome.  It passes unchanged from father to son and beyond.   Laboratories compare the analysis of samples among men and to find out how far back they must go to discover a common ancestor.   That is how families learn who among those with the same surname are related to them.   In fact, some families have ongoing surname projects where various family members submit Y-DNA samples to discover other people with the same surname who are indeed related.

Woman do not have Y chromosomes so their X chromosomes are reliable only in determining their mother’s maternal ancestral line.  Women who wish to know more about their paternal ancestry must request cooperation for a sample from their father, uncle, brother, paternal grandfather or cousin who shares the same surname as the father.

Once in the lab, workers look for various markers along the Y-DNA strand.  The more markers, the more accurate the results of one’s ancestry.  The Genographic Project is looking at 12 markers; however surname projects and most laboratories look for 25 markers or more.

Once the markers are compared, workers can suggest a haplogroup, or genetic population.  Haplogroups are ancient clans that migrated across the globe from Africa.

Genetic testing can determine what percentage of a person is European, Asian, Native American or Sub-Saharan African, making an ancestry DNA test the most revealing test one can take.

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Solving Mysteries with Ancestry DNA tests

Without ancestry DNA tests, most people can only name their maternal and paternal grandparents. After that the information becomes unreliable unless great time and effort is expended to research historical records.

Science allows us to look back at our ancient family tree, to the time when humans first migrated from their early roots in Africa. To find out where your family originated, migrated and then mutated to form its own group or haplogroup, you need only take a moment to swab the inside of your cheek with a special painless device.

Genealogists today are actively gathering DNA samples to establish markers and lines of ancestry. When looking for a DNA test lab ask about the size of the database. The larger the base of knowledge, the more reliable and informative your test results will be. There are several labs that provide DNA testing; begin your search with the size of the database.

There are two kits available, the Mitochondrial or mtDNA and the Y-Chromosome. The Y chromosome passes down only through the males of a family since males have an X and a Y chromosome while females have just an X. The Y Chromosome test will determine paternal linkage, while the mtDNA will explore the mother’s line for her female and male children.

There are various DNA test kits available and depending upon the number of markers the kit looks for, the more information the result will yield, and the greater the cost for the kit. You will receive the test kit in the mail. It will house what appears to be an undersized plastic toothbrush and a sterile container to place it in for mailing it back.

Once you return the ancestry DNA tests you’ll wait 6 to 8 weeks for the results and then you are on your way to exploring the ancient roots of your family.

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Genealogy DNA Testing for Ancestry

With DNA testing for ancestry, the field of Genealogy has more tools than ever to discover your family tree.  Along with the genealogist research tools for digging deep into historical records and family history, you now have Genealogy DNA comparison to give solid evidence to your research.

A simple DNA test can start you on the road to discovering your ancestors from 10,000 years ago.  Men and women can both test their DNA to learn the origin of their maternal ancestry.  A specific kind of test called mtDNA or mitochondrial DNA, searches only the women along the line, no men.  Women and men both receive their mtDNA from their mother.

Men can learn the origin of their paternal line by testing their Y chromosome.  The Y chromosome test checks only the paternal line. Women do not have Y DNA and cannot be tested for their paternal line.  If they want to know their paternal ancestry they must ask a brother or their father or a male cousin to be tested.  This is one way to firm up the surname line of your ancestry.

Once the DNA sample is taken, the results will determine your haplogroup.  This is a set of a people with a common ancestor, often from 10,000 to 150,000 years ago, the time when it has been shown that humans evolved in Africa and then migrated around the world.  Men have both a paternal and maternal haplogroup; women have only the maternal haplogroup because they bear only X chromosomes while men have an X and a Y.

A fascinating result of the DNA test is to see where your ancient family members migrated across the globe.  You’ll see how mutations in early genetic lines affect your family too.   You’ll learn all the genetic influences in your ancient family tree.  You may have Asian influence you don’t know about or you may be related to Napolean or a U.S. President.   DNA testing for ancestry will provide knowledge about your unique family history you never thought possible.

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