mtDNA Success Story at Family Tree DNA

Any DNA success story is a success for all of us! Each one shows us a way to use testing to help our brick walls. Each step in discovering how we can test to get beyond those blocked paper trails is one for our side: Score one for the genealogists!

Thank you Joy for your story...

mtDNA SUCCESS STORY

My genealogy interest began in my single-digit years. Grandpapa Eldred Lowe would come from the island of Abaco, Bahamas to the capital city Nassau on business. He stayed with us. After supper my parents sat with him to relax and converse. I’d hide behind the sofa, shy and out of sight, to listen. Even though I did not know the persons they spoke of, the fact that they were our family intrigued me.

In my teen years, I visited Abaco and met our family. I liked them, and wanted to learn more. Life opened a distant trail to me. After marriage to an Oregonian, there I transplanted. The move in 1964 motivated the start of a paper collection of my people in the Bahamas. Dad lived 90 years, sharp to the end. After mother died, I began to record the historical family stories that poured from him. The collection grew to an enjoyable hobby for a senior—genealogy and writing dad’s family stories for our grandchildren.

A genealogy program on the computer manages the data, while the internet links the Bahamas Genealogy Group researchers. Here I learned of the Bahamas DNA Project. Peter J. Roberts is the volunteer leader. I wrote to Peter, provided my maternal ancestry for four generations, then an unknown blank, a mother who had lived in Abaco, Bahamas about 1800.

For Christmas 2006, I gave myself the gift of doing the mtDNA test. I had no expectation, no idea what this might reveal.

What a surprise when the results came. I MATCHED Anita Laurie Albury, who still lives at Abaco, Bahamas. Anita, and I had NO knowledge that our maternal families connected. Peter pointed us to the uncommon name of both grandmothers: Anita’s Amana Roberts, and my Amana Russell, both born at Cherokee Sound, Abaco. Plus the fact that I wear the middle name Amana.

I never knew my maternal grandmother. She died four years before my birth. But I did know Anita’s grandmother, Ms. Mana. A widow, she worked in Nassau during the 1950s. We have the paper trail for both AMANA grandmothers, and back to their grandmothers, a Lenora Pinder for Anita’s line, and her sister Frances Pinder of my line.

A recent—2009—mtDNA test has a third match with us—another sister of Lenora and Frances—Sarah Jane, who moved to Key West, Florida after marriage. So far, we do not know their parents’ names. A clue may come from a note in my mother’s journal that speaks of “Grandma Charity”. We watch and wait for verification.

The small girl no longer hides—she sits comfortable and confident in an interview. Still intrigued, and curious, she listens and shares in order to learn.

©Joy A Lowe Jossi, 202 SW 14^th St, Gresham OR 97080 joyjos@juno.com 3 Apr 2009

Three DNA Tests for Genealogy, part 2 Y-DNA & mtDNA

Y-DNA Testing

The Y-chromosome has been passed down from father to son virtually unchanged since mankind began. The small changes in that Y-chromosome help us separate people into family units. This test gives results for the all male line, the top line of a pedigree chart, when the male tester is number one on that chart. See SUCCESS STORIES at www.isogg.org for Y-DNA testing used to break through a dead-end paper trail.

For genealogy, particular markers are tested on the Y-chromosome as they provide a mix of slowly and quickly mutating samples. This helps find which men are more closely related than others. If all the markers used were slow to mutate more people would appear to be closely related. If most markers were quick to mutate most people who are related would appear not to be. The geneticists and mathematicians collaborate to get the correct mix.

Each marker is tested for short tandem repeats (STRs). Our DNA, in part, is made up of four chemical bases: Adenine (A), Guanine (G), Thymine (T), Cytosine (C). These chemical bases form short patterns (AGAT) which appear side by side (in tandem), hence Short Tandem Repeat. The STRs are counted, and this count is the result given for a particular marker. For example, if the STR marker DYS393 repeated its AGAT sequence fourteen times, the result for that marker would be a 14. Different markers have different chemical patterns, but in each tested marker you receive your results as the number of times the pattern is repeated.

The result of testing is a series of numbers called a haplotype. (DYS393 is 14; DYS390 is 22; DYS19 is 15, etc.) This is your DNA signature. However, it is not just your signature, but it is that of all the males on your all male line. Of course, there could be a mutation at any time in that male lineage which would change how many times the repeat is seen, but you are still closely related.

A test for 12, 25, 37, or 67 STR markers can be ordered. The more markers you match with others the closer the common ancestor is. For example, if you take three traits you have (eye color, shape of your ears, skin tone) and compare only those three with your friends and neighbors, you are likely to match several people. If you now add ten more traits, you narrow that pool of matches. It is the same idea between testing twelve markers as opposed to thirty-seven or more.

For a close match you can have the exact same markers as another tester or a few differences. The number of differences allowed to still remain a good match is determined by the number of markers you test and the testing company’s prediction to the closest common ancestor. These predictions for the closest common ancestor are based on mathematical probability.

Y-DNA summary: · Only males can test their Y-DNA.
· The test gives matches for the all male line.
· Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) are recorded as the result of testing.
· The more STR marker results you share with someone the closer your common ancestor.




mtDNA Testing

The mitochondria is outside the cell’s nucleus. It is not the sex chromosome like the Y is. This genome is inherited by men and women from their mothers. Mothers have passed their mtDNA from mother to all their children virtually unchanged since womankind began. The mitochondria is very slow in mutating so it is more useful for ancient ancestry or to help with a specific problem where good testing candidates are available. This test gives result for the all female line, the bottom line of a pedigree chart, when the male or female tester is number one on that chart. See SUCCESS STORIES at www.isogg.org for several ways mtDNA has been used to break through a brick wall.

There are three mtDNA tests at Family Tree DNA: HVR1 (Hyperveritable region 1), HVR2 Hyperveritable region 2) and the FGS (Full Genomic Sequence). The first two are parts of the mitochondria while the last is the entire mitochondria.

This test looks at Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs). A SNP (pronounced SNiP) is a change in a single letter of our genetic code (A, G, T, C). For mtDNA tests, results are compared against the Cambridge Reference System (CRS). You are given only the differences your results from the CRS as the FGS contains 16,568 markers. No one wants to put all that on a website or frame-able certificate! Examples of mtDNA marker results are: 16256T; 16399G; 315.1C. The numbers in this case are the names of the markers. The letter after the number is the chemical base (Thymine, Guanine, Cytosine) that differs from the CRS.

For a match, you need to have the exact markers as someone else. Even then, the time to the common ancestor could be before surnames and before recorded genealogical data.

mtDNA summary:
· Males and females can test their mtDNA.
· The test gives matches for the all female line.
· Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) are tested and compared against the CRS (Cambridge Reference System).
· The more markers you share with someone the closer your common ancestor, but given the slowness in mutating that match could still be hundreds to thousands of years ago.


Next, Autosomal Testing, a new breakthrough in genetic genealogy!


Emily
copyright 17 Jun 2010, E. Aulicino
Thank you R.

Three DNA Tests for Genealogy, part 1 Overview

Over the course of the next few weeks, my posts will be a series on the new austosomal testing for genealogy. The first three parts in this series reviews some basic facts and clarifies the three types of testing for genealogy. The next section will explore the various aspects of autosomal testing for Family Tree DNA's Family Finder. Much of this information applies to any autosomal testing for genealogy; however, company offerings do vary and that topic will conclude this massive series.

These articles are meant for the Newbies and those interested in a basic understanding. They will not get over technical.


All material is under copyright. Please write directly for permission to use any information. Email: aulicino@hevanet.com


Part 1:
Overview - Historical background and a few facts


Family Tree DNA pioneered DNA testing for genealogy in 2000, bringing the power of DNA tests to family historians. In the years since, family history researchers who use DNA tests have become known as genetic genealogists. These dedicated researchers understand the value of DNA testing as being the most accurate tool available.

The first years saw rapid changes in our understanding of the science and improvements in the power of available tests. In early years, only a few Y-chromosome STR (short tandem repeat) markers were available. Today it is routine to test with 67 STR markers. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) started with the humble HVR1 test. Now the entire gene sequence is standard.

It looked as if little more could be done for family researchers, as early autosomal testing was neither accurate nor reliable enough for genealogy. That has changed. We are embarking on a new adventure, a new stage in DNA testing, and once again we have become the pioneers for this new generation of DNA testing.

However, I find that many genealogists and other interested parties, as well as some genetic genealogists, are confused about the three types of tests: Y-DNA STR, mtDNA full genomic sequence, and autosomal microarray. Simply put, the Y-DNA test gives you results along the very top line of your pedigree chart, the mtDNA gives you results along the very bottom line and your chart, and now the autosomal test gives you matches on all the lines between the top and bottom. Each test is important for different reasons, and this series will help you understand all three by comparing their basic concepts.


The Facts

We know that all of mankind is closely related. With each generation we double our ancestors, giving us a billion ancestors in thirty generations. The population of the earth thirty generations ago was no where near a billion people; therefore, we are related to ourselves many times over due to what is called pedigree collapse. Pedigree collapse is the reduction of ancestors given that cousins marry; that is, if two first cousins married, they would only have six grandparents and not eight. The farther you go back in time, given that people tended to remain in one area, more and more cousins married. We may have a billion ancestors in thirty generations, but they are not a billion different people.

We share 99.9% of our genome with all other humans. We have about 3 billion base pairs in our genome, and about 98% of those are loosely called Junk DNA as scientists have yet to discover their purpose.

We have 22 pairs of chromosomes and the sex chromosomes (Y and X). Men inherit the Y-chromosome from their fathers and one X chromosome from their mothers. Women inherit an X from each parent.

We know that every DNA test provides you with a set of numbers or numbers and letters, giving you a DNA signature (your results). Those testers who match your signature are related to you at some level.

We know that any DNA test will not tell you the name of a common ancestor or when and where that ancestor lived. It is up to good genealogical research to make that determination.

As genealogists, we know to use the right source or sources to find an ancestor's information. If we are looking for an ancestor in Britain, we do not search the US census. When we are looking for that ancestor's married name, we know that the census will not help. We know instead to consult vital and church records according to the time and place. We use the sources that may provide the information we need. The same is true for using DNA for genealogy. The three types of DNA most commonly used are the Y-chromosome DNA (Y-DNA), mitochondria DNA (mtDNA), and autosomal DNA (atDNA). Each is used to find others who are related to us, but each one is used to find matches in different parts of our pedigree chart.

Before we move forward, we must understand each test's strengths and weaknesses. The next article in this series will explain the difference between the Y-DNA & mtDNA test.


Emily
copyright 17 Jun 2010, E. Aulicino
Thanks to R for editing assistance.