New Page 0

More About DNA

Want to Learn More About DNA?

The science of molecular genetics has been very active in recent years. Genetic testing for genealogy purposes has developed rapidly in the past two or three years. It is an added tool for professional and amateur genealogists to use in their research to give creditability and endorsement to written and oral research. Following are a few websites you can visit to learn more about and dispel the mystique of genetic testing.

Chris Pomery and Kevin Duerinck undertake to maintain lists of the surname projects in progress. Over 300 have been logged. Many of these projects have web sites, which explain how the genetics work, how the testing is done, and how it is valuable to genealogy. These sites are valuable sources of background information and most of them include sample data. For a rather comprehensive description see the above sites and also: Mumma and Clan Lindsay.

To view the data of some other similar projects see BFOOV and Dellariola.

For a bibliography to some of the important scientific literature on this subject see: Baucum. This site also has a list of current surname projects.

For beginners in DNA a general genetics book probably would not be too useful, since DNA testing for genealogy is quite specialized. However, there are web sites that may be helpful. One called "DNA from the Beginning" which covers the general background: http://www.dnaftb.org/dnaftb/. Another by Nancy Custer has assembled some basic biology background which is more targeted toward the testing techniques used for genealogy projects: http://www.contexo.info/DNA_Basics/.

Family Tree DNA, Inc is the company that has done all the Cooper testing. Their website explains their services and why they are useful in genealogy. Other companies offering similar services are Relative Genetics and Oxford Ancestors.

Most of the discussion of the tests and results are described in some of the specialized language of genetics. For a glossary of these terms see: Widomaker.

For another site of genetic definitions go to: http://www.duerinck.com/define.html

For articles on Case Studies/Human Interest, Census, DNA, Eastern European Research, Ellis Island, Honoring our Ancestors, Internet Research, Military, Orphan Photos, Research Techniques, Serendipity and other tidbits of information go to: http://honoringourancestors.com/library.html.

Another site which may help you in your research is www.ybase.org. It is a database for Y-chromosome DNA results comparison. Following are excerpts by Alastair Greenshields about www.ybase.org which he placed in GENEALOGY-L@rootsweb.com.

This mailing list has some very learned bodies on it who are aware of what Y-chromosome testing can and cannot do. They are also aware that, at current testing levels, their Y-chromosome DNA will not identify them as an individual or even as a unique family.

Thirty-six markers are available to accommodate DNA markers on a single page, and because Ybase inserts them into a database, each allele has to be in a separate form field, and the markers are in numerical order for ease of entry.

Once you have your Record ID, you can then discover the joys of the 'multiple submit form'. You need only type in that Record ID, and your details, including that haplotype, automatically appear. Since the personal details remain the same for most family studies, you only have to adjust the haplotype a little from the original. Et voila! A brand new entry with your new haplotype in about 30-seconds!

But that isn't all! A demo section was set up for new visitors so they can have the opportunity to have a look at the trial Ybase with a load of made-up entries, to gave them an idea of its capabilities and at least give a hint of what's inside.

Searching for your haplotype is easy. You can go to 'quick search' and plug in your Record ID, and your haplotype comes up, pre-filled, into the search boxes. You can then search on exact, or up to 3-mismatches. The code also handles DYS389 and its numerous variations. Searching on 36-markers that include DYS389i, DYS389ii and 3-mismatches is carried out in seconds! Haplo-matic' is a quick and convenient way to search on your haplotype from your webpage. Surname searches are better with wildcards (but not soundex, as it often chucks up garbage!) There is now a password retrieval page. The pages deliver faster - thanks to a new host company, server and better code.

It is missing a stats page and, using the locations of the earliest known ancestors, a mapping function similar to YSTR (which benefits from only having a relative few locations). These will no doubt appear given time.

There never has or will be a charge for use of the database or an intention to misuse the information in any way. What you see is what you get! The people entering the data own their records. They can of course see their data whenever they want and ask that they be deleted if they desire. No other information is collected.

Hopefully enough privacy safeguards have been built in to stop-dead potential spam. Or at least make it very awkward for spammers. For example, you can choose to disclose contact details or not. The records are in non-sequential order. Any messages made via the 'make contact' form go through a complex scanning system as a quick spam check (yes, I have to read each one - and no, nothing racy yet!).

The whole idea of Ybase is that it is free and it is open to everyone. There are other DNA type databases out there which aren't quite as free or open. Ybase was designed to buck the trend. It is run by DNA Heritage which probably benefits from some pre-exposure, but the data is being held responsibly and does give a point of contact. A fair trade?

Kind Regards
Alastair Greenshields

Y-base entry and search:

I encourage each Group member to share their Y-chromosome DNA results for comparison with others who have chosen to enter their Y-chromosome DNA results in the Y-base. Search at:
http://ystr.org http://www.ystr.org/europe/
http://ystr.org/us http://www.ybase.org/statistics.asp

http://ystr.org/asia

Recruiting Participants: When None are Living

In the last issue of Facts & Genes, an article covered how to look for living direct descent males for your family tree, when none are currently known to be living.

If the approach covered in the article fails to find a living direct descent male, we often receive inquiries at FamilyTreeDNA about getting Y DNA off a personal item used by a deceased male, such as their tooth brush, comb, dentures, rings, watchbands, hat bands, pipes, hearing aides, eye glass frames, steering wheel covers, tool handles, etc.

Even though there are labs that specialize in extracting DNA from objects, unfortunately, Y DNA does not survive well on objects. mtDNA typically survives well, as seen by mtDNA analysis of ancient human remains, such as the Iceman. For Y DNA, the odds that any Y DNA for a deceased person will have survived on an object is slim to none, so we do not recommend spending funds at a specialized lab for this endeavor.

This is a reminder that there is no better time than now to get a DNA sample from your living male relatives. When they are gone, so is their DNA, which could prevent your family tree from participating in the future, because there are no other direct descent males. Perhaps you have a few direct descent males who are living, so it doesn't seem a priority to get a sample. You never know if you will have some unusual results in the males that you test in the future, and you desperately need another male participant to solve the puzzle, and none exist.

FamilyTreeDNA provides 25 years of DNA storage at no extra charge. This storage is a tremendous benefit. You can preserve the DNA and have it available for future scientific genetic genealogy discoveries. In addition, your male relatives are making an extremely valuable contribution to your family history, that may out live them.

The DNA samples are stored under a number and surname only, in a locked refrigerator. They are safe and secure and anonymous.

Both our 12 Marker Y DNA test and 25 Marker Y DNA test cost less than the price of storage by vendors who provide DNA Banking Services.

There is no time like the present. You can't count on remembering to get a sample if tragedy strikes with an untimely death. There might also be other hurdles to overcome at that time, such as spousal approval, and getting the test kit there in time.

* Excerpted from Facts & Genes from Family Tree DNA, December 5, 2003, Volume 2, Issue 11.