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 Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Genetic Genealogy: Oh, the Possibilities
Posted by Diane
Interest in genetic genealogy was expanding beyond genealogy circles by April 2006, when this week’s “Best of Family Tree Magazine” article was published. Colleen Fitzpatrick shared an example of how DNA testing can help you theorize how and where your family may have migrated.
Though not everyone’s looking to trace their roots back to the Vikings, I like this example because it shows some of the possibilities of genetic genealogy—a field where scientists continue to make door-opening discoveries for family historians.
Follow genetic fingerprints to new theories. DNA can point to a previously unrecognized episode in your family's past. “Oddball” test results sometimes signal nonpaternity events (adoptions, name changes, illegitimacies), which can link you with unexpected people and places.
Take my Fitzpatrick surname study. Although the DNA profiles (haplotypes) are relatively diverse, most of the 75 participants match one another on 20 or so markers out of 26. This shows that we share a common background—it's just far back in the past. Three people don't fit that mold, however: They match the rest of the group on no more than seven markers.
Two of these three men—a Catholic priest from New Jersey and a retired engineer from New South Wales, Australia—match each other exactly. And they've traced their families back to two small towns only 10 miles apart on the west coast of Ireland. The American's Fitzpatrick family immigrated during the Great Famine; the Australian's Fitzpatrick ancestors went “down under” in the early 1900s. How could these men match each other exactly but be so different from the rest of the Fitzpatrick study group?
Our questioning has led to some interesting theories, developed from what we know about the history of western Ireland. One potential explanation is that the men descend from a Viking who made a pit stop on his way around coastal Ireland, leaving behind a genetic souvenir. Another possibility: The pair descends from a survivor of the Spanish Armada's 1588 wreck on the west coast of Ireland.
As online databases grow to include a more diverse collection of haplotypes, we may find more matches to these men. If they match an Erikson or a Peterson, we can further probe the first possibility. If they match a Lopez or Garcia, we can explore the second theory. Or we may devise altogether new theories. But whatever we discover, they'll have a fascinating new chapter to add to their family sagas.
Family Tree Magazine Plus members can read the entire article online.
Related resources from Family Tree Magazine:
Family Tree Magazine articles | Genetic Genealogy
Wednesday, March 03, 2010 5:20:10 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00) 
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Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Family Tree DNA Introduces "Family Finder" Test
Posted by Diane
Genetic genealogy company Family Tree DNA is launching a new DNA test called Family Finder that’ll let you connect with family members across all ancestral lines.
While Y-DNA tests match men with a specific paternal line and mitochondrial DNA tests finds potential relatives along only the maternal line, Family Finder—an autosomal DNA test—can look for close relationships along all ancestral lines.
But rather than simply helping you confirm potential relationships with specific individuals, Family
Finder is intended to match you with new relatives. Test results
include a list of matching people in Family Tree DNA’s databases.
Men and women can take the test and match the results to male and female cousins from any of their family lines in the past five generations.
Family Finder is available now to current Family Tree DNA clients for $249, and will be offered to everyone in mid-March. Family Tree DNA CEO Bennett Greenspan called the new test the company’s “most exciting genetic genealogy breakthrough” since launching its Y-DNA test.
Read more about Family Finder on Family Tree DNA's website.
Related Resources from Family Tree Magazine:
See our DNA category for articles—both free and Plus—on using genetic genealogy in your family history research. (PS: Family Tree Magazine isn't affiliated with Family Tree DNA.)
Genetic Genealogy
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 5:55:02 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Series Explores "What Made America?" Through Genealogy
Posted by Diane
Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr., whose "African-American Lives" series have been popular on PBS, is working on another genealogy documentary series to air in February and March.
"Faces of America" uses genealogy and genetics to explore the family histories of 11 famous Americans, using their ancestors’ experiences to draw a picture of American history.
"The many stories [Gates] uncovers—of displacement and homecoming, of material success and dispossession, of assimilation and discrimination—illuminate the American experience," states PBS' announcement.
Four episodes look progressively further back in history. They cover America’s complicated relationship with new immigrants in the 20th century, the “Century of Immigration” and industrialization from the 1820s to 1924 (the year quotas sharply curtailed US immigration), the early settlement of the New World, and how DNA evidence links us to early geographical origins.
The ancestral origins of the show's "cast” span the globe. Gates researches the family trees of poet Elizabeth Alexander (she composed and read the poem at President Obama’s inauguration), chef Mario Batali, comedian Stephen Colbert, novelist Louise Erdrich, writer Malcolm Gladwell, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, film director Mike Nichols, Queen Noor of Jordan, actresses Eva Longoria Parker and Meryl Streep, and figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi.
The series airs 8 to 9 pm Wednesdays from Feb. 10 to March 3, but you can catch a few glimpses now:
See more "Faces of America" clips on PBS’ YouTube channel.
Celebrity Roots | Genealogy Events | Genetic Genealogy | Social History
Wednesday, January 06, 2010 7:01:43 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Friday, October 30, 2009
Genealogy News Corral: October 26-30
Posted by Diane
Here are some genealogy news bits we've rounded up for you this week. Happy Halloween!
- Familybuilder DNA has added Groups, a feature that let customers collaborate on genetic genealogy research. They’ll be able to create and join groups focusing on commonalities such as haplogroup, national origin, surname, birthplace, etc. read more on Familybuilder.com.
Genealogy Web Sites | Genetic Genealogy | Newspapers | UK and Irish roots
Friday, October 30, 2009 7:48:23 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Monday, October 26, 2009
DNA Tests in Ghana May Shed Light on African-American Origins
Posted by Diane
The Center for African-American Genealogical Research, Inc. (CAAGI), genetic genealogy company FamilyTreeDNA, and the Public Records and Archives Administration Deartment of Ghana (PRAAD) are embarking on a project that may improve the ability of DNA tests to estimate African-Americans’ origins in Africa.
DNA tests designed to analyze origins in Africa often lead to more questions than answers because relatively little is known about the diverse genetics of African tribes. The tested person’s DNA is compared against a database of modern Africans' DNA—but because of historical migration in Africa, the DNA of a given area’s modern residents may not match its original inhabitants.
Ghana (formerly the Gold Coast), located in Western Africa, was the source of an estimated million-plus African slaves. FamilyTreeDNA will test several hundred members of the Nzema, Ga, Fante, Ewe and Asante tribes, all of which were part of the slave trade.
The DNA will be gathered at a workshop CAAGI is conducting this Friday at the PRAAD offices in Accra, Ghana, as part of its Sankofa project to use traditional genealogical sources and DNA to reconnect African families. Attendees will learn about online genealogy databases, preservation of song lyrics and photographs, transcription of family stories, and forensic genealogy.
Ghana was once a UK colony where British, Dutch and Danish merchants traded. PRAAD has a Slave Trade Archives project with microfilm on Danish activities in Ghana from 1658 to 1850; some of the film is digitized online.
Addition: Bennett Greenspan, president of FamilyTreeDNA, provided a bit more information on this project.
Greenspan believes the results, which should be available in three to four months, will “absolutely” help improve analysis of African-Americans’ origins in genetic genealogy tests.
“The results of this outreach will be to both increase the size of the FamilyTreeDNA/AfricanDNA.com comparative databases and the results will also be added to the permanent Hammer collection at the University of Arizona, who will publish on the results of these and other outreach missions to Africa," Greenspan says. "In that way, the data will be published and available to all researchers of Africa.”
The University of Arizona's Hammer Lab is managed by Michael Hammer, FamilyTreeDNA's chief scientist. AfricanDNA.com is the African-American genealogy research firm of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates.
African-American roots | Genetic Genealogy
Monday, October 26, 2009 5:33:47 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Friday, October 23, 2009
Genealogy News Corral: October 19-23
Posted by Diane
Here are some of the week's genealogy news tidbits:
- We wrote about ethical wills (last statements concerning personal values rather than property) in the September 2008 Family Tree Magazine. (Family Tree Magazine Plus members can read the article here.)
Ready to get started on one? Personal historian Dan Curtis is offering a free, seven-part online course on writing an ethical will for your heirs.
Discover more resources for Chinese genealogy in these Genealogy Insider posts.
- The new Amelia Earhart movie is getting tepid reviews (from what I’ve seen, anyway), but the real-life details of her 1937 disappearance might be more interesting. Ancestry.com’s "Reports of Deaths of American Citizens Abroad" collection contains a case file of correspondence concerning an investigation into the theory that Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, were imprisoned in Saipan. Find out more about the case on Ancestry.com’s blog and on Ancestry.com's “What really happened to Amerlia Earhart?” page.
- Genetic genealogy company DNA Consultants has added a blog to its revamped website; posts review news and research on dna testing and popular genetics. That involves some complex scientific terms and concepts, so put on your genetic genealogist hat when you visit.
Asian roots | Celebrating your heritage | Genealogy Events | Genetic Genealogy | Social History
Friday, October 23, 2009 9:08:48 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Tuesday, October 20, 2009
10 Ways to Use Your December 2009 Family Tree Magazine
Posted by Diane
The December 2009 Family Tree Magazine should be hitting subscribers’ mailboxes during the next week (yes, it’s already December in Magazine Land). I randomly picked out 10 ways this issue might figure into your family history pursuit:
1. Start a family medical history with nine sources that can help you learn what illnesses your ancestors suffered and died from. (See, I thought I’d start this post on a bright note.) Click here for our online listing of health history books and Web sites.
2. And for a slightly morbid yet somewhat educational five-minute time-killer, try to match up 12 archaic maladies with their modern equivalents.
3. Plan your heirloom preservation strategy with a guide to preserving a variety of keepsakes—including a quilt, a delicate wedding ring and other items our coworkers at Family Tree Magazine headquarters brought in. (Associate editor Grace Dobush blogged about the shady past of one such heirloom.)
4. Are genetic genealogy tests really 99.9 percent accurate? Will they pinpoint where your ancestors lived? Discover the truth behind common beliefs about DNA and genealogy, and use quick-reference lists of testing companies, definitions and online DNA databases.
5. Follow along with our step-by-step guide to entering genetic genealogy test results in two genealogy software programs.
6. Did you know the historical newspaper search at GenealogyBank treats personal names like keywords? That means if your name is also a word, such as White or Banker, you’ll get lots of false matches. (The site’s obituaries and SSDI database are indexed by name). You’ll find search tricks in our Web Guide to GenealogyBank.
7. Can’t find your ancestor’s town of “Gross Herzogtum, Baden?” That’s because gross Herzogtum isn’t a town, but a term for “grand duchy.” Find explanations for this and other place terms related to ruling nobility in our guide to research in German states, including Prussia, Hesse, Bavaria and others. (See articles in our online German research toolkit here.)
8. Thinking of adding (or already have added) a genealogy app to your Facebook page? Get the lowdown on FamilyLink's We're Related and Family Builder's Family Tree, two popular genealogy apps for Facebook.
9. Chuckle over six readers’ captions for a giant-fish photo and enter our newest All in the Family Challenge.
10. Where's that one article ... the one about the census ... not the regular census but the special ones ... ? Stop flipping through all this year’s magazines and open to the 2009 index on the last page of your December issue. You'll find that the article on nonpopulation censuses was in the July 2009 Family Tree Magazine on page 20.
Of course, there are even more great resources and tips in the December 2009 Family Tree Magazine. It'll be available starting Nov. 3 at ShopFamilyTree.com.
Family Heirlooms | Family Tree Magazine articles | Genealogy Web Sites | Genetic Genealogy | International Genealogy
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 2:38:18 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Friday, July 10, 2009
Genealogy News Corral: July 6-10
Posted by Diane
Some of the genealogy news bits we rounded up this week:
- The Genealogy Guys will record their podcast before a live audience at the Federation of Genealogical Societies
conference. The audience will get to submit questions for
possible inclusion in the podcast. The conference is Sept. 2 to 5 in
Little Rock, Ark.; the podcast recording is 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept.
3. Look for location information at the conference.
- Geni is offering a free two-week trial of its Geni Pro premium service, which includes more stats, matches and member collaboration than the free basic service. (Geni Pro subscriptions are normally $4.95 per month.)
- Ancestry.com’s subscription-based Canadian site, Ancestry.ca, has added French Deaths by Guillotine 1792-1796, with 13,000 names of French citizens executed during the Reign of Terror. The names come from a book written in 1796 by a French journalist.
- ProQuest, the creator of the HeritageQuest genealogy service, ProQuest Historical Newspapers and other databases for libraries, is working on a new search platform that’ll make I easier to find information related to your genealogy search. Expected launch is 2010.
The company is also adding Boston’s Jewish Advocate (1905 to 1990), Philadelphia’s Jewish Exponent (1887 to 1990) and the Detroit Free Press to Proquest Historical Newspapers.
Genealogy Web Sites | Genetic Genealogy | Newspapers | Podcasts | Social Networking
Friday, July 10, 2009 9:08:53 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Thursday, July 02, 2009
Genealogy News Corral: June 29 to July 2
Posted by Diane
This week’s news roundup is coming at you a day early, but it's still chock-full:
- The Generations Network, parent company of Ancestry.com, has a poignant new ad campaign you’ll probably catch on some media or other (if you’re worried you’ll miss it, see it on Ancestry.com’s YouTube channel).
- Ancestry.com also has developed an Ancient Ancestry Finder that guesses your haplogroup (ancestral origins) based on a few questions. It’s fun, and the haplogroups have cute names such as "Boatbuilders" and "Inventors," but keep in mind it's not necessarily accurate. At the end, you get a pitch to buy a $79 DNA test to determine if the Finder is correct.
- If you’ve been thinking of trying the databases at NewEnglandAncestors.org, now might be the time. The New England Historic Genealogical Society is offering $15 off new memberships during July.
- This week, FamilySearch enhanced its free Record Search Pilot with 12 new collections, which have records from Argentina, Australia, Mexico, Netherlands, and Spain. New United States collections were added for Delaware, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Utah.
International indexing projects now underway involve records from the Czech Republic; Baden, Germany; and South Africa—click here if you’re interested in volunteering. - The Houston Metropolitan Research Center (HMRC) at the Houston Public Library's downtown Julia Ideson Building is changing its research hours during a renovation. Now through Aug. 31, HMRC is open Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 1 to Oct. 31, it'll be open by appointment—call (832) 393-1313 to make one.
Ancestry.com | FamilySearch | Free Databases | Genetic Genealogy | Libraries and Archives | Newspapers
Thursday, July 02, 2009 4:18:55 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Free Genome Scanning Offer
Posted by Diane
A new genome profiling service called TruGenetics has an introductory offer: The first 10,000 registrants at the site get free genome scanning.
You can get start registering with TruGenetics here.
Genome profiling can give you information about deep ancestry—where
your ancient ancestors came from, but not information that’s likely to
help you find relatives within a genealogically researchable time frame. 23andme, a similar service, charges $399 for genome scanning.
I haven’t tested this offer. If you do, post a comment here and let me know what you think.
Thanks to Family Tree Magazine contributing editor Rick Crume for this tip!
Genetic Genealogy
Wednesday, July 01, 2009 2:01:51 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Neurologist Uses Genealogy to Track Rare Disease
Posted by Diane
I came across an interesting article today about a neurologist who used genealogy research to trace a rare inherited disease that affects just five families around the world.
Pallido-Ponto-Nigral-Degeneration (PPND) strikes in middle age, causing symptoms similar to Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Victims usually are dead within eight years.
Examining WWII-era records in a hospital basement, Dr. Zbigniew K. Wszolek discovered that two US families with the condition were linked through adoption. The common ancestor: Sarah Bott, born in 1854 in Iowa.
Her parents and grandparents lived to a ripe old age, as did her husband and his children from a second marriage. But four of Bott's five children were crippled and died in middle age (Bott herself died at age 30 in surgery). Wszolek concluded the disease-causing mutation occurred spontaneously in Bott.
Wszolek tracks the family on an 11-foot family tree. Of Bott’s 315 living descendants (spread out over 11 states), 48 now have PPND.
See more on Wszolek’s research in this article.
Another article focuses on the family members in Montana and how they’re coping.
Look for information on researching your family's medical history in an upcoming issue of Family Tree Magazine.
Here are some family health history online resources you can explore right now.
Genetic Genealogy
Tuesday, June 02, 2009 10:13:52 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Tuesday, May 26, 2009
GeneTree Offers Deal for Y-DNA Donors to SMGF Database
Posted by Diane
If you’re one of the tens of thousands of men who donated DNA samples and pedigree information to the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation (SMGF), your genealogical largesse is being rewarded.
Genetic-genealogy and social networking site GeneTree is extending a special offer to SMGF Y-DNA donors.
Those men didn’t receive test results when they donated their Y-DNA to SMGF’s project, which began in 2000, to build a database linking genetic and genealogical information. The free SMGF database now holds details on 7 million ancestors and represents more than 170 countries.
But now, those Y-DNA donors can access their Y-DNA test results for $49.50 through GeneTree (about a third of GeneTree's regular cost for a test). To take advantage of this offer, follow the instructions on GeneTree.
(Donors of mitochondrial DNA, which mothers pass on to their offspring, received a similar offer last year to access their mtDNA results.)
Genetic Genealogy
Tuesday, May 26, 2009 8:42:09 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Tuesday, April 07, 2009
How Y-DNA Can Work in Your Genealogy Search
Posted by Diane
For a good example of integrating genetic genealogy into your family history research, see this USAToday article (Tweeted by Blaine Bettinger and Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak) about Chris Haley’s DNA connections with a Scottish man. Haley is a Maryland State Archives research administrator and the nephew of the deceased Roots author, Alex Haley. Haley took a Y-DNA test, which examines the paternal line (the father’s father’s father, and so on), and found a couple of matches through Ancestry.com’s Y-DNA database. One match was a man in Scotland, whose daughter June Baff Black had just started doing genealogy (talk about beginner’s luck). Though Haley and Black haven’t yet been able to find a paper trail leading to their common ancestor, the match on 45 out of 46 markers confirms they’re on the right track. Roots Television has a video about their first meeting, which happened in March at the Who Do You Think You Are? Live! show in London.
You can order a DNA test through Ancestry.com. It's free to search Ancestry.com's DNA database by last name (via a search box at the bottom of the DNA landing page) or enter your test results from another company. The USAToday story
also mentions a limitation of Y-DNA testing. Since it’s a relatively
new science, you may not find a close match in online databases as
quickly as Haley and Black did.
Ancestry.com | Genetic Genealogy
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 3:02:14 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Monday, March 30, 2009
New Genomics Company Offers Ancestry Testing
Posted by Diane
Blaine Bettinger at the Genetic Genealogist posted about a new, California-based personal genomics company called Pathway Genomics. Similar to 23andme, Pathway uses SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) testing to extract information about your health conditions, ancestry and personal traits. You can get just the ancestry test for $199 (23andme charges $399 for ancestry, health and traits results). The test will tell women their maternal haplogroup; and men, their maternal and paternal haplogroups. (That’s because both male and female children inherit the mother’s mitochondrial DNA, but only males inherit the father’s Y-DNA.) A haplogroup is akin to a branch of the world family tree. In some cases, knowing your haplogroup can help you determine if someone's not a relative. (A female cousin through your mother’s sister, for example, should be from the same maternal haplogroup as you.) But in general, your haplogroup tells you about your ancient roots, not ancestors who lived recently enough to be covered in genealogical records. See Pathway's answers to frequently asked questions about its ancestry test. The company offers customers the option to discuss test results with an on-staff genetic counselor. Bettinger, who’s a consultant to Pathway, describes the ancestry test in detail. See Pathway’s blog, DNAction, too.
Genetic Genealogy
Monday, March 30, 2009 4:05:40 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Monday, March 09, 2009
Q&A With Beta-Free GeneTree
Posted by Diane
The family networking and genetic genealogy site GeneTree has shed its beta skin and emerged, as the company’s announcement describes, “a simple, intuitive way to regularly communicate with extended family, and to securely share and store family contact information, personal profiles, photos, video and ancestry documents.” You also can order both mitochondrial DNA and Y-DNA genetic genealogy tests, add the results to your profile and search for people who match. GeneTree president and COO Matt Cupal and I had a quick Q&A over the phone today: GI: What would you consider GeneTree’s greatest strength?
MC: Probably the positioning that we’ve had along, which is that it’s a family social network, but it has this unique twist of using DNA to extend your concept of family.
GI: Could you give me a quick rundown of GeneTree’s post-beta features?
MC: We’ve improved a lot of the components of the social network, so it’s easier to invite people and stay connected. For example, the page you land on now is a news feed that tells you everything that’s going on in your networks—that could be more DNA connections, or another family member has added a photo or updated the family tree with more people. That's also e-mailed to you once as week as a digest.
We’ve made some dramatic improvements in our family tree building software. It’s intuitive and easy to use. We’ve also added a GEDCOM upload. We’re working on improving it, always, but right now you can have up to 2,000 people inside your GEDCOM.
One of the really cool things about the site is that you can do collaborative family tree work, so you and your cousins and all your other relatives can be on at the same time and make things happen.
GI: Do many people who haven’t ordered a DNA test from GeneTree have their family information on the site?
MC: About 5 percent of the people who come on the site have actually taken DNA tests. It’s a no-cost system to be a member and have your family information there, and that's by far the majority of members.
GI: How many members are there?
MC: We’re moving toward 100,000, and we’ve got about 1.5 million profiles right now—that’s people on trees.
GI: Now that beta’s over, what developments are you planning?
MC: Surname studies are fairly high on the list. We’re also looking at ways we can expand this to the rest of the world. We’re intrigued by the idea of allowing people from multiple sites to come into the system. Maybe they’re a member of Geni or TGN [The Generations Network, owner of Ancestry.com] or any number of systems—we’d like to enable them to use the DNA facilities.
We want to make DNA more understandable to the general population—those who are strongly interested in genealogy and those who are more passively interested—to help them better understand how they can use DNA.
We’re starting with an educational component. We’re also designing some new DNA tests to be a little more understandable—still based on the same principles, but tests that can grab the imagination of the general populace more than, say, the particular values of your Y-markers.
GI: What’s your take on the genetic genealogy market right now?
MC: Clearly it’s going to be a challenging time this year. Something we’re working on to help offset that is some lower-priced alternatives, so people can get in the game at a lower number and get their feet wet.
We'll keep you updated on these developments. See the genetic genealogy toolkit on FamilyTreeMagazine.com' for more DNA answers.
Genealogy Web Sites | Genetic Genealogy
Monday, March 09, 2009 9:04:20 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Genetic Genealogy Company Shuts Down
Posted by Diane
Genetic Genealogy
Wednesday, March 04, 2009 5:50:09 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Tuesday, January 27, 2009
$79 Can Buy You a 33-Marker Y-DNA Test
Posted by Diane
Ancestry.com | Genetic Genealogy
Tuesday, January 27, 2009 4:10:49 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Thursday, November 20, 2008
FamilyTreeDNA, MyHeritage Offer Discounted DNA Tests
Posted by Diane
The family networking and genealogy site MyHeritage and genetic genealogy company FamilyTreeDNA just announced a partnership that promises DNA testing discounts for you. The arrangement continues the trend of merging social networking, genealogy and DNA, on sites such as Genetree, Ancestry.com and Familybuilder. The FamilyTreeDNA-MyHeritage offer includes these discounted DNA tests: - 25-marker Y-DNA: $129 (FamilyTreeDNA doesn’t usually offer a 25-marker test, but its 12-marker test costs $149)
- mtDNAPlus, which tests mitochondrial DNA and estimates Native American and African ancestry: $129 (this beats FamilyTreeDNA’s regular price of $189)
- mtDNA and 25-marker Y-DNA: $219 (compare to the regular price of $229 for an mtDNA and 12-marker Y-DNA combo)
The offer page says the specials are for MyHeritage users, though it doesn’t look like you're required to prove you’re a member of MyHeritage. You can read more about these and other genetic genealogy companies in previous Genealogy Insider blog posts. The DNA toolkit on FamilyTreeMagazine.com offers advice on choosing the right test for your research questions.
Genealogy Industry | Genetic Genealogy
Thursday, November 20, 2008 2:45:19 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Thursday, November 13, 2008
Genetic Genealogy Companies Under Fire
Posted by Diane
Genetic genealogy testing companies aren't doing enough to make sure you understand the limitations and implications of DNA testing, says the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG). The organization, whose 8,000 members include geneticists, scholars, genetic counselors, nurses and others, today issued a statement with recommendations for the genetic genealogy industry. It was prompted by the rising popularity of genetic genealogy. According to the ASHG, a half-million Americans will spend $100 to $1,000 per test this year. ASHG faults tests designed to determine ethnic ancestry, rather than the Y-DNA tests that estimate whether you’re related to someone. "Rarely can definitive conclusions about ancestry be made beyond the assessment of whether putative close relatives are or are not related," reports the statement. That's because such tests compare the genetic contribution from a tiny slice of your family tree against a reference database that uses DNA samples from modern-day individuals to represent populations that existed eons ago. A lot of population shifting and combination has happened since then. No standards exist for statistical analysis and how results are reported to you, says the statement. "Perhaps the most important aspect of reporting confidence in ancestry determinations is to accurately convey the level of uncertainty in the interpretations and to convey the real meaning of that uncertainty." As genetic ancestry testing expands to cover inherited medical conditions, ASHG is concerned patients may misconstrue the results of these often-inconclusive tests when making medical decisions. The organization joins a growing chorus. States such as California and New York have come down on genome profiling companies including 23andMe and DNA Traits for providing medical testing without involving individuals’ doctors. A year ago, the New York Times doubted the accuracy of ethnic DNA tests after its reporter received varied and conflicting test results from five companies. Bert Ely, a geneticist who helped start the African-American DNA Roots Project with high hopes in 2000, shared his findings that most African-Americans have genetic similarities to numerous ethnic groups in Africa—making it impossible to match African-Americans with a single group. An article in the Oct. 19, 2007, Science magazine cited these problems: - Limited information in companies’ reference databases might lead them to draw the wrong conclusions. (Today’s ASHG statement said these databases “reflect a woefully incomplete sampling of human genetic diversity.”)
- Some companies’ databases are proprietary, making it hard to verify customers’ test results.
- Tests trace a small percentage of a person’s ancestors and can’t pinpoint where they lived, or the specific ethnic group they might’ve belonged to.
The ASGH ancestry testing recommendations include the following: - The genetic genealogy industry should make a greater effort to clarify the limitations of ancestry testing. Consumers must understand more about ancestry testing.
- Additional research is needed to further understand the extent to which the accuracy of test results is affected by the makeup of existing human DNA databases, geographical patterns of human diversity, chromosomal marker selection and statistical methods.
- Guidelines should be developed to facilitate explanation and counseling for ancestry testing.
- Scientists analyzing genetic ancestry test results should take into account the historical, sociopolitical and cultural contexts under which human genetics evolved.
- Mechanisms for greater accountability of the ancestry testing industry should be explored.
Part of the problem may lie in the complex science involved. The explanations are difficult for laypeople to understand (I'm a layperson, and I'll admit it); but in simplifying them for marketing materials and test reports, DNA companies may downplay the tests' limitations. Do you have a handle on what genetic genealogy testing is all about? Click Comments and tell us about your DNA testing experiences. For information on how DNA can (and can't) aid your genealogy research, see our DNA toolkit.
Genealogy Industry | Genetic Genealogy
Thursday, November 13, 2008 2:36:49 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Spitting Becomes Fashionable
Posted by Diane
Fashionistas have found a new accessory for their Marchesa and Derek Lam: little plastic tubes of, well, spit. The founders of genome profiling service 23andMe ( one of Ancestry.com’s latest business partners) put a creative and chic spin on DNA test marketing by hosting a “spit party” during New York’s Fashion Week. Well-dressed celebrities including media mogul Rupert Murdoch, film producer Harvey Weinstein (both of whom have financially backed 23andMe) and designer Diane von Furstenberg were in attendance. Between cocktails, guests could spit into tiny tubes to have their genomes profiled. 23andMe, whose test can tell you about genetic traits (such as whether you like broccoli), health risks and your ancient ancestry, was looking to promote its new $399 price (down from $999) and the online community it recently added. The party went on despite a warning letter the State of New York sent 23andMe for performing medical testing without required licensing. (The company is negotiating a resolution.) All I can say is it's a good thing I wasn't invited. I'd have to blow a
few months' salary on something decent to wear, then I'd probably miss
the spitting tube and ruin my new dress. Read more about the spit party in the New York Times.
Genetic Genealogy
Wednesday, September 17, 2008 9:01:23 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Thursday, September 11, 2008
Familybuilder Announces Low-Cost DNA Tests; Global Network
Posted by Diane
Two big announcements from Familybuilder, the company that created the Family Tree genealogy application for social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. - First, Familybuilder’s new Global Network brings the Family Tree application outside of social networking sites.
Anyone can create a Family Tree profile on Familybuilder and link it to Family Tree profiles on social networking sites. (More than 20 million Family Tree profiles exist on such sites.) You’ll need a free registration to build a tree or access existing ones.
- Second, starting Oct. 15, Familybuilder will offer low-cost DNA tests, focusing on the social networking market. According to a written announcement, “No genealogy service caters to the 300 to 400 million people who use social networks to research their family trees.”
The offerings include a 17-marker Y-DNA test and a mitochondrial (mt) DNA test; both cost $59.95.
FamilyBuilder does have others beat: Compare its 17-marker test with FamilyTreeDNA’s 12-marker test ($149); DNA Testing Systems’ 13-marker test ($200); Chromosomal Labs’ 19-marker test is $260.
A 17-marker test is usually enough to tell you if you’re related to someone, but higher-resolution tests (those that test more markers) are more accurate. For example, it’s possible a 17-marker test may match on 15 of the 17 markers, where a 45-marker test of the same two people might match on 30 out of the 45 markers.
Note that a Y-DNA test doesn’t tell you how you’re related to someone; but it estimates how long ago a common ancestor may have lived.
Many genealogists go straight for the higher-marker tests (my guess is that's the market most traditional genetic genealogy companies concentrate on). Familybuilder says it plans to expand its DNA lineup and is “committed to continuously driving the costs of these tests down over time.”
Genealogy Web Sites | Genetic Genealogy
Thursday, September 11, 2008 10:27:33 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Tuesday, September 09, 2008 Tuesday, August 19, 2008
New European Genetic Map Resembles Modern Borders
Posted by Diane
Our contributing editor Rick Crume sent me a note about this cool genetic map of Europe, created by the Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam. Overlapping color-coded outlines show the genetic relationships of 23 populations. The New York Times also covered the map. According to geneticists who developed the map, it shows populations in Europe are similar, but not too close to tell them apart genetically. The Times reports that one of those scientists says it “should be possible” to create a test that can tell you which European country you’re probably from. That’d be great. Right now, DNA tests can give you a haplogroup or a general population (for example, East Asian or Indo-European), but they can’t specifically tell you which countries your DNA represents. The outlines on Europe’s genetic map resemble those on its geographic map. The most genetic difference occurs between northern and southern populations, probably reflecting ancient migrations that populated Europe from the south. The map also shows where two “genetic barriers” arose: One separated the Finns from the rest of Europe due to the small early Finnish population; the other separated those in Italy, perhaps because the Alps kept people from moving back and forth. The map came from genetics testing that analyzed 500,000 sites on the human genomes of nearly 2,500 Europeans.
Genetic Genealogy
Tuesday, August 19, 2008 1:03:09 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Wednesday, July 30, 2008
UK Genetic Genealogy Patent Dispute Ends
Posted by Diane
A patent dispute between British genetic genealogy companies Oxford Ancestors (headed up by Seven Daughters of Eve author Bryan Sykes) and DNA Heritage ended in favor of the latter. Oxford Ancestors obtained a UK patent for ““Method of using Y chromosome haplotyping in forensic and genealogic tests” in 2004 (it filed for the patent in 1999). The patent consisted of seven claims about the company’s Y-chromosome haplotype analysis and its use in surname and genetic genealogy research. Oxford ancestors accused DNA Heritage two years ago of infringing upon its patent. In January, DNA Heritage asked the UK Intellectual Property Office to re-evaluate four of the claims, contending the science behind them wasn't sufficiently “novel and inventive” over previous genetic research. In April, the office issued an opinion (subject to a subsequent three-month review period) that the four claims did not involve inventive steps. "Other researchers had already shown the connection between surnames, Y-chromosomes and family history," says DNA Heritage president Alastair Greenshields. He added the finding would help keep genetic testing prices affordable because companies won't have to pay royalty fees for their tests. We're currently seeking comment from Oxford Ancestors and will post it here.
Genetic Genealogy
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 7:47:49 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Thursday, July 24, 2008
101 Web Sites: DNA and Mapping Tools
Posted by Diane
Two more great genealogy sites you should check out (for more recommendations, see the full list of this year’s 101 Best Web Sites): - GeneTree combines social networking and genetic genealogy. You can make profiles for yourself and your ancestors, keep track of DNA test results and search for matches. Use the site free even if you didn’t take advantage of GeneTree’s testing services, which include both mitochondrial- and (as of this week) Y-DNA tests.
- Search the USGS Geographic Names Information System for towns (even those no longer in existence), landmarks, waterways, cemeteries and more in this database of more than 2 million places. You can map any result using a variety of online tools.
Genealogy Web Sites | Genetic Genealogy
Thursday, July 24, 2008 1:54:12 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Sunday, July 20, 2008
GeneTree Adds Y-DNA Testing
Posted by Diane
GeneTree, a family history networking Web site where members can create profiles and explore their genetic genealogy, just added Y-DNA testing to its offerings.
A 33-marker test and a 46-marker test are available; prices start at $149 with discounts for those who’ve already ordered a mitochondrial DNA test through GeneTree.
Since men pass their Y-DNA to sons along with (usually) their surname, Y-DNA testing is helpful for confirming or disproving relationships between individuals with the same last name.
Y-DNA test-takers also can participate in surname studies (which GeneTree president Matt Cupal says the company will kick off in the near future) and enter test results in Y-DNA databases to look for matches.
Women—who don’t have Y-DNA—can participate by having a father, brother or male-line cousin or uncle take a test. For example, your father’s brother or the brother’s son could take a Y-DNA test and the results would apply to you.
Cupal says even though Y-DNA tests are more-used, GeneTree launched with mitochondrial DNA services because they apply to both men and women. (Women pass mitochondrial DNA to their offspring.)
The Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, whose mitochondrial DNA database you can search using GeneTree’s DNAvigator tool, also has amassed more mitochondrial- than Y-DNA results.
Right now DNAvigator searches 51,000 of SMGF’s 72,000 mitochondrial DNA results; that number will be increased in the coming month. Eventually, a new version of the DNAvigator will search both mitochondrial- and Y-DNA results.
Cupal says GeneTree has more than half a million profiles, which includes both living members and their ancestors.
Genetic Genealogy
Sunday, July 20, 2008 3:34:59 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Thursday, June 19, 2008
Will California's Letters to Genetic Testing Companies Affect Genealogists?
Posted by Diane
California's attempt to regulate genetic testing has raised a bit of a stir in the genealogical community, but it's unclear whether genetic genealogy tests will be affected. Wired reports that the state department of public health sent sternly worded cease-and-desist letters to 13 DNA testing companies warning they’re in violation of California law. California requires labs that are located in the state or process biological samples originating there to get a state laboratory license, and it also prohibits direct-to-consumer clinical lab tests without a doctor’s order. One warning letter, linked in Wired’s article, specifically states genetic tests are not exempt. But it doesn’t distinguish between genetic genealogy tests (such as Y-DNA tests) and disease-related genetic tests (such as 23andMe’s genotyping services). Genetic genealogy company FamilyTreeDNA didn’t receive a letter, spokesperson Bennett Greenspan told me, but the company’s disease-related testing business called DNA Traits got one (now posted on Wired). And from the letter's wording, it looks like the state’s concern is tests that reveal medical information without involving the consumer’s physician. The California Department of Health hasn’t yet returned my call seeking clarification. Meanwhile, the letter demands recipients cease and desist offering genetic tests to California citizens. Update (June 20): Californians won't need a doctor's note to learn their haplogroups. Lea Brooks of the California Department of Public Health told me that "Genetic testing used for ancestor tracking or forensic purposes is not covered by California clinical laboratory law standards." That means the state is limiting its investigations to companies that do medical-related genetic testing.
Genetic Genealogy
Thursday, June 19, 2008 10:18:59 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Saturday, May 17, 2008
Could you be an Osmond?
Posted by Diane
Are you a little bit country … or a little bit rock and roll? Genetic genealogy company Genetree might be able to help you decide.
Genetree just launched a Web site about its partnership with the Osmond family (maybe you can name them all, but for the record: Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, Donny, Marie and Jimmy) as they get ready for their anniversary tour.
Genetree is joining the tour for a bit and promoting a $149 mitochondrial test (which comes with a souvenir Osmond photo). You can compare your results with the Osmonds’ genetic profiles in Genetree to see if you might be related. Keep in mind a mitochondrial test won’t pinpoint common ancestors within a genealogically researchable time frame.
Genealogy Web Sites | Genetic Genealogy
Saturday, May 17, 2008 5:15:28 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Monday, April 28, 2008
Delving into DNA
Posted by Allison
No matter how much experience you have in genealogy, you're always a beginner with some type of research or resource. Right now, I'm a newbie at genetic genealogy: I took my first DNA test last week. If you're contemplating diving into your own gene pool, watch this video of my experience to learn what you're in for:
Genetic Genealogy | Videos
Monday, April 28, 2008 3:15:59 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Monday, March 24, 2008
Donated DNA to SMGF? You Could Get a $19.50 Profile
Posted by Diane
If you've participated in the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation’s (SMGF) DNA study, you may be able to get your genetic genealogy test results for just $19.50. SMGF’s collaboration with the DNA-enabled social networking site Genetree has provided an avenue for SMGF to release the DNA profiles in what study director Scott Woodward calls a “compelling, confidential” way. To be eligible for the offer, you must have ordered an SMGF participation kit prior to Oct. 23, 2007, and returned the properly completed kit to SMGF postmarked no later than Dec. 31, 2007. If that’s you, you’ll be able to access your mitochondrial (mt) DNA profile (with genetic information passed from mothers to their children), along with the pedigree information you submitted to SMGF, online through Genetree. You’ll need a free Genetree basic membership to view your profile. It’ll take about two weeks for your request to be filled— get instructions for obtaining your results on Genetree's "unlock" page. The SMGF study started in 2000 at Brigham Young University’s Center for Molecular Genealogy, with researchers collecting blood samples and pedigree charts at genealogy conferences. The goal? Build a database of DNA and corresponding genealogical information. Several years ago, the project outgrew the university and moved to SMGF, where the database now contains nearly 100,000 DNA samples and more than 6 million corresponding genealogical records from people in 170 countries. You can search SMGF databases and contact potential relatives through the site, but until now, participants didn’t receive their test results. On Genetree, which launched in beta last October, you can create profiles for yourself and deceased relatives, add DNA test results or order an mtDNA test ($99 or $149), search for relatives, share memories, build a family tree, and invite relatives and friends to participate.
Genealogy Web Sites | Genetic Genealogy
Monday, March 24, 2008 2:55:15 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Wednesday, March 12, 2008
... and DNA Consulting becomes DNA Testing Systems
Posted by Diane
In another family history industry renaming, genetic genealogy testing company DNA Consulting is now called DNA Testing Systems, says founder Donald N. Yates. Yates also announced he's relocated the company from Santa Fe, NM, to Scottsdale, Ariz. DNA Testing Systems will add DNAPrint Genomics’ line of biogeographical ancestry tests to its product selection. Those offerings include the AncestrybyDNA test (sold under the name Whole DNA), which breaks your genetic heritage into Native American, East Asian, Sub-Saharan African and Indo-European anthropological groups.
Genetic Genealogy
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 1:46:18 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Thursday, January 24, 2008
SeqWright Launches Genome Profiling Service
Posted by Diane
Someone else wants to map your genome. Houston-based SeqWright Inc. just launched SeqWright GPS, a genomic profiling service that evaluates your miniscule genomic variations called Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, or SNPs (“snips”). Similar to the recently launched 23andMe, SeqWright customers can use online tools to learn your risk for certain diseases, compare your traits to those of family members who’ve been tested and explore your ancient ancestry. You won’t learn whether you’re related to someone, but rather, which broadly defined population groups you most likely come from. SeqWright’s Web site is less friendly-looking than 23andMe's, which obviously benefits from Google’s financial investment, and doesn’t make quite as much effort to explain scientific lingo. At $998, SeqWright’s test is $1 less than 23andMe’s.
Genetic Genealogy
Thursday, January 24, 2008 9:04:29 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Thursday, January 10, 2008
Morse Adds One-Step Tools for Genetic Genealogy
Posted by Diane
Steve Morse, creator of the One-Step search tools Web site, has added genetic genealogy utilities to his site. Rather than find matches in genetic genealogy databases (we’d love to see that utility), these free tools help you learn more about your DNA test results. Three of the tools work using data from the FamilyTreeDNA Web site, so customers of other companies will have to pass on those. The tools include: - FamilyTreeDNA Markers: Use this one to view your Y-chromosome test results from FamilyTreeDNA—just enter your kit and code numbers.
- Haplogroups: Anyone who's taken a Y-DNA test can get a pretty good idea of his haplogroup by entering his STR marker values. (If you're a FamilyTreeDNA client, just enter your kit and code number.) As Morse explains, haplogroups are defined by SNP markers, but you usually don’t get SNP values in a Y-DNA test report. STR marker values, though, can predict a haplogroup.
- Group Chart: Here, you can generate a DNA chart for a group of people for easier test results comparison. Each group member must have tested with FamilyTreeDNA.
- Distances: FamilyTreeDNA clients can use their group chart (generated with the Group Chart tool) to compute the genetic distances among members of the group.
- Migration Details: Select your haplogroup from a dropdown menu to get a description of your ancient ancestors’ migrations across the globe. You’ll see shifts in haplogroups and the mutation numbers that defined the shifts, along with the geographic location and time range the mutation took place.
- Migration Map: Select your haplogroup to generate a visual representation of the migration details described above.
See the DNA toolkit on FamilyTreeMagazine.com for genetic genealogy advice, explanations and resources. Steve Morse also has created One-Step Tools for searching online databases such as EllisIsland.org and Ancestry.com (you must subscribe to Ancestry.com to see search results from its databases). You'll find hints for using the tools in the February 2007 Family Tree Magazine.
Genealogy Web Sites | Genetic Genealogy
Thursday, January 10, 2008 6:18:52 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Wednesday, December 12, 2007
New Research Helps on FamilyTreeMagazine.com
Posted by Diane
I wanted to let you know about a few goodies we’ve recently added to our Web site. First is a group of free research guides—let’s call them “kits.” Each kit is a collection of tips, background information, Web sites, books and CDs to help you with these research topics: At the top of each page in the kit, you’ll see an In This Article list of what’s on that page. At the bottom of each page, use the More on This Topic section to link to other pages in the kit. For your researching convenience, we’ve also put together a free PDF guide to locations and contact information for FamilySearch’s Family History Centers in the United States and Canada. You can download that from www.familytreemagazine.com/fhcs.
Genealogy Web Sites | Genetic Genealogy | Oral History | Research Tips
Wednesday, December 12, 2007 3:12:22 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Monday, December 10, 2007
DNA Tests Verify Pets' Pedigrees, Too
Posted by Diane
Now four-legged family members can get in on the genetic genealogy act, too. That’s right—owners of mixed-breed pooches can learn about their pets’ pedigrees so they can confidently answer the question, “So what kind of dog is that?” Fern Glazer, our writer who got genetic genealogy experts to answer readers’ common DNA quandaries for the March 2008 Family Tree Magazine (on newsstands mid-January), uncovered a couple of companies that do doggy DNA testing: - Last August, DNA Print Genomics launched Doggie DNAPrint 1.0, a test costing about $100 that examines 204 canine markers obtained from a cheek swab to reveal your dog’s ancestry population (its relationship to four ancient ancestral breeds). The company is also building a purebred database that eventually will let you compare your dog's DNA for accurate breed identification.
- Mars Veterinary recently rolled out The Wisdom Panel MX test. Using a blood sample your veterinarian takes, the test detects specific combinations of genetic markers that can reveal the breed heritage of your dog.
Genealogy fun | Genetic Genealogy
Monday, December 10, 2007 10:21:44 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Tuesday, November 27, 2007
NY Times Asks "How Helpful is Ethnic DNA Testing?"
Posted by Diane
Did everyone read the article on ethnic genetic genealogy testing in Sunday’s New York Times? It was somewhat critical of the industry with regard to DNA tests for African origins. Reporter Ron Nixon said test results are often conflicting and confusing, and testing companies focus more on marketing than on communicating the limitations of ethnic DNA testing. Nixon sent his own DNA to five companies for a mitochondrial (mt) DNA test and got strikingly different results: Reports named from two to 12 ethnic groups, for a total of 25 possibilities. Nixon also interviewed representatives of several test companies, as well as Harvard historian and "African-American Lives" host Henry Louis Gates. Gates’ first mtDNA test in 2000 reported Egyptian roots; one from another company in 2005 concluded he had European, not Egyptian, ancestry. One reason for mixed results is testing companies’ proprietary comparison databases of DNA profiles from modern people. Databases may be skewed toward particular ethnic groups and not represent other groups. Furthermore, people have been moving around Africa for eons. Your DNA could match someone who lives in a particular area today, but whose ancestors came from elsewhere. Another issue is that there’s still so much to learn. In our November 2007 Family Tree Magazine African-American research guide, Roots Project director Bruce Jackson, PhD, said “We have a poor understanding of the genetics of African groups ... Identical genetic markers or signatures (called haplotypes) are found among different African ethnic groups for reasons that are not clear.” Jackson went on to note scientists have studied only 1 percent of African ethnic groups, which doesn’t even include all those who were sources of the slave trade to North America. Gates is attempting to address these issues by partnering with FamilyTreeDNA on AfricanDNA, a project offering DNA tests paired with genealogy research services for $888 to $1,077. If that's not in your budget, do this: Research "on paper" as much as you can before turning to DNA. More African-American resources are out there than many people realize. (See our online toolkit and updates on this blog for tips.) Then decide what you want DNA testing to tell you and carefully research your options to pick the best test. Make sure you understand the limitations of DNA testing: As you see here, results can be inconclusive, and you don’t learn where specific ancestors came from. If you don’t understand your results, ask your testing company for help and consult sources such as Trace Your Roots with DNA by Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak and Ann Turner (Rodale, $16.95). Share your thoughts on the Times' article in the FamilyTreeMagazine.com Hot Topics Forum.
African-American roots | Genetic Genealogy
Tuesday, November 27, 2007 5:16:37 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Monday, November 26, 2007
First Retail DNA Paternity Test on Shelves
Posted by Diane
Sorenson Genomics has come out with the first retail DNA paternity kit, and it yields results in three to five days. The Identigene DNA Paternity Test Kit is on sale at Rite-Aid stores in California, Oregon and Washington for $29.99 plus a $119 lab processing fee. That beats the $245 price tag for a paternity test through Identigene’s Web site. Customers send in cheek swabs from the alleged father and child with the lab fee, and can get their results online, by fax or mail. It sounds a lot easier than being on one of Maury Povich’s “Who’s your daddy?” shows. For genealogical purposes, this test could be handy in cases of adoption or “nonpaternity events.” You need DNA samples from both parties, and it can only tell you whether a parent-child relationship exists—not whether the two are related in another way (tests for other relationships are available through Identigene and other labs). We’re interested in future implications, though: Can a retail genetic genealogy test be far behind?
Genetic Genealogy
Monday, November 26, 2007 5:20:39 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Tuesday, November 20, 2007
23andMe Profiles Your Genome
Posted by Diane
A new DNA testing Web site with financial backing from Google purports to “help you understand your DNA.” It’s called 23andMe, a name that refers to the 23 pairs of chromosomes making up your genome. The site’s test examines all your DNA (rather than focusing on the X or Y chromosome) for SNPs (pronounced snips), which are variations that can show relationships between people. You have about 500,000 SNPs linked to everything from health issues to whether you like Brussels sprouts. To use 23andMe, you order a kit, send in a cheek swab and later log on to get your DNA profile. It provides information on your phenotypes, or observable traits resulting from interactions between your genes and the environment. Your phenotypes can tell you about your ancestry and about how your genes may affect your health. The site's Gene Journal helps you understand your results with tools including an Odds Calculator (plug in variables such as age, ethnicity and genetic information to see what medical conditions you should be concerned about), a glossary and research article archive. You can use ancestry tools such as a Global Similarity Map that compares your genome to people around the world, which can shed light on where your ancestors came from. You also can consult a Maternal Ancestry Tree to learn about your family’s ancient roots. The test is pricey at $999 per kit. What you can learn is more about health than genealogy, and it’s bound to be controversial as non-doctors try to absorb medical information. So of course, after you use all the cool tools, you’ll want share your findings with your doctor.
Genealogy Web Sites | Genetic Genealogy
Tuesday, November 20, 2007 6:33:57 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Friday, November 16, 2007
AfricanDNA Testing and Research Service Launches
Posted by Diane
Henry Louis Gates Jr., the Harvard professor who hosted PBS’ “African-American Lives” series, is partnering with genetic genealogy company FamilyTreeDNA to launch AfricanDNA. The new service will provide provide African Americans with family tree research in addition to DNA testing. The genealogy part is important, says Gates, because of the limits of genetic testing. “The available DNA data are not by any means complete, and these tests will not yield the names of any of the individuals on our distant family trees—just the general geographic areas in which our ancestors lived. Sometimes the tests yield multiple exact tribal matches, making it necessary for historians to interpret the most plausible result.” AfricanDNA offers mitochondrial DNA and Y-DNA tests for $189 each ($378 for both). Results are compared to FamilyTreeDNA’s database of DNA profiles from around the world. A board of scholars from institutions such as Emory University and Boston University will help interpret customers’ results. Test takers can opt for the Genealogy Package ($888 for one test or $1,077 for both), which includes a documented lineage as far back as records permit.
African-American roots | Genetic Genealogy
Friday, November 16, 2007 9:13:00 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
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Friday, October 26, 2007
Social Networking Meets Genetic Genealogy
Posted by Diane
The Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation (SMGF) is combining two of the latest genealogical developments—DNA testing and online social networking—in its partnership with the GeneTree beta Web site. Users can sign up for a free GeneTree account and create home pages with photos, family trees, multimedia and DNA results. All named ancestors automatically get pages, too, which families can add to. A niftily named tool called DNAvigator searches the SMGF mitochondrial (mt) DNA test results database for matches to yours, then compares the associated lineages and locations, and presents the results “in an intuitive visual representation” like the one here. Matching people can get in touch through GeneTree.  You also can order mtDNA tests, which both men and women can take, through GeneTree. Y-DNA tests will soon be available for men. Some who contributed DNA samples to the SMGF databases—those who requested test kits before Oct. 22 of this year, and send in their samples before Nov. 22—are eligible to receive their test results for a processing fee. That includes participants back in the early days of the project, when it was hosted by Brigham Young University, says SMGF spokesperson Peggy Hayes. Learn more by calling (800) 344-7643 or e-mailing SMGF. SMGF, the nonprofit arm of Sorenson Companies, has been collecting researchers’ DNA samples and associated family tree information for years to build its free Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA databases. GeneTree used to offer paternity testing, but now Sorenson's IdentiGene division has taken over that business.
Genealogy Web Sites | Genetic Genealogy
Friday, October 26, 2007 7:11:32 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Tuesday, October 16, 2007
DNA Ancestry Emerges From Beta
Posted by Diane
Ancestry.com’s DNA Ancestry site has emerged from beta offering Y-DNA and mitochondrial tests (ranging from $149 to $199) and promising Ancestry Member Tree users will soon be able to add their test results to the information in their trees. Public trees are searchable, so theoretically, you could find the name of a candidate for your great-grandfather, take a DNA test and see if you’re a match to his descendant. DNA Ancestry seems user-friendly, with streamlined test ordering, and genetic genealogy information (including sample test result reports) linked on the right side of the home page. You also can listen to Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak, Ancestry.com’s chief family historian and co-author (with Ann Turner) of Trace Your Roots With DNA (Rodale, $14.95), talk about genetic genealogy on NPR. People who get tested with DNA Ancestry are automatically notified of matches in its DNA database. You’ll be able to enter results from other labs in the database, which isn’t yet available but will be free. Of course, you’ll want to take the site’s marketing with a grain of salt. An ad on Ancestry.com says “Looking for your ancestors? Just say ‘aah.’” Kind of gives the impression you take a test and boom, you know your missing ancestor’s name and place of birth. Yes, you might take a test and immediately learn you unquestionably match a cousin who knows your family history back to the Dark Ages. But we’re not to the point where that’s possible for all. You’ll probably need to plug your test results into several databases before finding a match, and those matches may be iffy enough that you have to do more genealogical research before you can say for sure whether and how you’re related. You can get more details on DNA Ancestry on its FAQ page and blog. Look in an upcoming Family Tree Magazine for our article featuring answers to genealogists' pressing genetic genealogy questions.
Genealogy Web Sites | Genetic Genealogy
Tuesday, October 16, 2007 4:15:36 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Tuesday, October 02, 2007
SMGF DNA Database About to Balloon
Posted by Diane
If you've taken a DNA test to learn more about your ancestry, have you searched the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation DNA database lately? The nonprofit Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation (SMGF) just announced it’s on course to collect more than 30,000 DNA samples by the end of this year, for a total of more than 100,000 samples and corresponding genealogical records. Mitochondrial DNA (passed from mothers to their children) makes up the bulk of the additions. The growth is partly due to SMGF’s efforts to collect DNA internationally, including in Panama, Mongolia, Thailand and Africa. The new DNA and genealogies will pad SMGF's test results database, which contains information about more than six million ancestors from 172 countries. You can search it for free. You also can contribute your DNA and pedigree by requesting a test kit. Note you won’t get test results—for that, you’ll need to use a commercial service. (Sorenson Genomics no longer offers commercial tests through Relative Genetics. Back in June, The Generations Network acquired Relative Genetics and its Y-Match results database.) See SMGF’s FAQ for more details on contributing DNA, and watch upcoming Family Tree Magazines for our answers to your genetic genealogy questions.
Genealogy Web Sites | Genetic Genealogy
Tuesday, October 02, 2007 7:57:52 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Thursday, September 13, 2007
DNA Consulting to Launch Genetic Genealogy Forum
Posted by Diane
DNA Consulting is planning an online forum called DNA Ancestor Communities for genealogists who’ve taken DNA tests. I got a sneak peek at the site, to launch this week at dnacommunities.com. The forum has boards for people whose tests have revealed European, Native American, Melungeon and “World” (non-European) heritages, plus a general Q&A board. On request from DNA Consultants customers, monitors for each category will search updated versions of the OmniPop DNA comparison database. (Users tested by another company can order searches and analysis for $120.) The OmniPop database, which DNAConsulting licenses, contains DNA test results from volunteers. It’s also free online but can be pretty tricky for laypeople to use. DNA Ancestor Communities monitors also can help forum members learn to use another online comparison database from the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes. DNA Consulting staff will answer genetic genealogy questions on the site's General Discussion board. Principal investigator Donald Yates says he hopes the site will help people understand results from DNA Consulting's DNA Fingerprint test, but you don’t have to be a customer to join the forum.
Genetic Genealogy
Thursday, September 13, 2007 1:06:43 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Ancestry.com Launches DNA Beta Site
Posted by Diane
Back in June, The Generations Network (TGN) acquired Relative Genetics and its test results database from Sorenson Genomics. ( See our blog report.) Now we’re seeing the fruits of that union on the DNA Ancestry beta site. There, you can order Y-DNA tests for $149 (33 markers) or $199 (46 markers), or mtDNA tests for $179. On the overview and ordering pages, you get information on the tests, and you can see a sample test results report. Trace Your Roots with DNA (Rodale, $14.95) co-author Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak became TGN’s chief family historian early this year, so expect good-quality background information. Those with a free Ancestry.com registration will be able to search a test-result database and enter results from other companies’ tests. The Relative Genetics site will be phased out by the end of 2007. See DNA Ancestry's FAQ page for more information. Look for more genetic genealogy help in upcoming issues of Family Tree Magazine. Also see the October 2006 Family Tree Magazine’s user-friendly testing guide (sold out from our back issues store, but ask for it at your library).
Family Tree Magazine articles | Genealogy Web Sites | Genetic Genealogy
Tuesday, September 04, 2007 2:24:34 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Monday, June 18, 2007
Ancestry.com Re-enters the DNA Business
Posted by Diane
It was only a matter of time. Ancestry.com plans to sell DNA test kits and add a genetic genealogy database to its array of research offerings. It’s made possible by a partnership between Ancestry.com’s parent company, The Generations Network (TGN), and Salt Lake City-based Sorenson Genomics—one of the country’s largest DNA testing labs, the creator of the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation (SMGF) genetic genealogy database, and until now, the owner of consumer genetic genealogy testing lab Relative Genetics. Relative Genetics will close, and its customers and Y-Match test results database will become part of TGN. Ancestry.com will market the tests, with results to be added to Ancestry.com’s database, and host the surname projects formerly at Relative Genetics. Relative Genetics spokesperson Peggy Hayes says the free Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation database, which isn't part of Relative Genetics, is not part of the partnership. "SMGF will continue its mission as a philanthropic organization," she added. Ancestry.com's DNA tests will cost less than $200 and be available later this summer. Sorenson's labs will provide the testing kits and analyze customers' DNA. The DNA test results database will be free at Ancestry.com. Former Relative Genetics customers will automatically become Ancestry.com registered users, who can access the site’s free services. The customers will be able to control privacy settings, or opt out altogether by contacting Relative Genetics before July 15. (see Relative Genetics' FAQ page for more on what this development means for customers). You may remember the GenetiKit, TGN predecessor MyFamily.com’s first foray into genetic genealogy. Also a partnership with Relative Genetics, the GenetiKit Y-DNA test kit debuted in 2002 for $219 and faded away a few years ago.
Genealogy Industry | Genetic Genealogy
Monday, June 18, 2007 3:39:45 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Tracing the Lost Colony Through DNA
Posted by Diane
Genetic genealogy could help researchers figure out what happened to the Lost Colony on Roanoke Island, NC. It’s one of America’s most enduring mysteries: What happened to the 100-plus settlers who landed on the island in 1587? When the governor, John White, was finally able to return there in 1590, he found it deserted and, inexplicably, the word Croatoan carved into a tree. Theories abound: Spanish explorers destroyed the settlement, the colonists tried unsuccessfully to return to England, they assimilated into American Indian groups. The last speculation is what Brighton, Mich., genetics lab DNA Explain, along with the North Carolina-based Lost Colony Center for Science and Research, will study. Researchers will test the Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA lines of people identified through genealogical research as possible descendants of Roanoke colonists. For comparison, they also may test the colonists’ known relatives in Britain. Well, my curiosity is certainly piqued! Have you solved a family mystery through DNA testing? Let us know by posting a comment.
Genetic Genealogy
Tuesday, June 12, 2007 5:14:36 PM (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
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