Genealogy by DNA: Can it Deliver?
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| The tests that would be the first major players had been around since the 1980's. These tests and the knowledge that grew out of them had their beginnings in the scientific study of plants and animals. Genetics plays an enormous part in the production of the foodstuffs we take for granted. But to the Agricultural Industry, this science is vital. The first type of DNA testing used for a human anthropological research was of the Mitochondria DNA, a section of bases obtained from a noncoding region of the Mitochondria found in every cell of every living organism and used to control the production of energy of animals and plants. This DNA is passed on virtually unchanged (aside from random mutations) by the female to their offspring of both sexes. Therefore both men and women can be tested to see how their mtDNA compares with the CRS, the Cambridge Reference Sequence, the first mtDNA analyzed and since used as a comparison for all others. Reportedly the cells used were obtained from donated placental tissues. There is no living person walking around Europe knowing she or he represents the first human so tested. By pure luck, the result of H represents the more common pattern found in Europe. But there is nothing special about this particular sequence. It is not the closest to Eve or the best mtDNA. Differences from the CRS are sometimes called "mutations", but technically they are not actual mutations. They are polymorphisms, or simply differences. By comparing them to worldwide mtDNA results you may be able to learn a little more about your ancient clan mother (distant many times great grandmother). And after all, she had a husband, a father, mother, siblings, children, and many others who lived in her world and are interesting to contemplate. You may find yourself studying her ancient world and learning many new facts. Dr. Brian Sykes of Oxford University pioneered much of this early work. As he learned to extract and decipher the secrets of this substance, he found that the types were falling into clusters. Eventually he would call these clusters The Seven Daughters of Eve, and give them names based on their assigned alphabetical code of T, H, X, U, V, J and K. Naming them Tara, Ursula, Xenia, Helena, Velda, Jasmine and Katrine, he wrote a book about his discoveries, furnishing a little vignette about each "daughter". This clever ploy really helped capture the public's imagination. These seven daughters are the clan mothers of 95% of the European people. Many other daughters have now joined them as worldwide testing has been conducted. About 42 have now been identified. Scientists can construct a human family tree from the way these groups branch off of the original clan mother whom scientists say lived in Africa sometime between 70,000 and 150,000 years BP. The Human Genome Project has been of great benefit to scientists of many disciplines whose research depends on analyzing DNA. Inventions and discoveries made possible in this joint effort and both the cooperation and competition of scientists worldwide brought about methods of replication that have enabled the analysis of DNA to be much faster and more powerful. I am not going to delve deeply into the attributes of the Y Chromosome which made it an ideal candidate for surname research and population studies. That falls outside the scope of this short paper outlining the recent emergence of DNA Genealogical Research tests and their development and importance. I am including many links below which will acquaint those wishing to learn more. Basically the Y Chromosome is passed down from father to son virtually unchanged for hundreds of years. Tiny mutations do occur and it is these tiny mutations which geneticists call markers that enable family reconstructions such as are now occuring at testing companies such as Family Tree DNA of Houston, TX and Oxford Laboratory of England. Group rates may be obtained and Family Tree DNA even stores the submitted sample for 25 years at no cost to the participant. This enables additional tests to be done as they become available. The Y chromosome has been studied intensely and divided into haplogroups, based upon the results of the number of alleles in certain positions called markers. These "markers" have been chosen for their demonstrated ability to predict the haplogroup of the tested individual. They are tightly guarded proprietary information. Each testing company used a different set, although many are overlapping. This has allowed websites such as Ysearch.org to convert scores from several companies and find matches within their database for submitted results. You should be highly skeptical of anyone who wants to charge you for an analysis of your results. Very few are qualified and those who are will often help you non gratis if you demonstrate a sincere desire to learn as much as possible on your own. FTDNA offers this kind of information to their participants at no extra fee. Considering that originally, the Human Genome Project wasn't even due for completion until 2005 or so, no one can argue that the concept of DNA testing for Genealogical purposes has not been an overnight success. Though delivered prematurely, it is now outgrowing itself by leaps and bounds. Who could keep such an exuberant new baby under wraps? Though spurned by some old school genealogists, as once the Internet was, DNA for Genealogical purposes is a welcomed new tool to most, both experienced and new researchers. But some researchers have unreasonable expectations. They expect this new tool to cut through years of dusty onsite research in Courthouse basements and break through those proverbial brick walls almost every genealogist eventually encounters. Just contribute a few cheek cells or find an appropriately descended cousin to do so, send it off to the lab with a sizable payment and sit back and wait. Soon you'll know what village in Europe your ancestors came from, what important and famous people they were related to, the possible hereditary diseases you should be aware of, and perhaps find a whole new ethnic identity. The problem with this way of thinking is we're not there yet and may never be. This article is not intended to criticize the geneticists involved in this new science. Henry Greely, a professor of law who specializes in genetics and ethics at Stanford University in California says; "I know these scientists, and they are honorable people, and the reports they give don't overpromise". Some firms require clients to sign psychological releases absolving companies from responsibility if results don't jibe with client expectations. However; Bruce Jackson, a molecular geneticist at Boston University, who has launched the African-American DNA Roots Project, along with biologist Bert Ely of the University of South Carolina, cautions that "like anything on the Internet, this is all a case of 'caveat emptor' - let the buyer beware. But the science is valid. There's no doubt about the science." He sees DNA as "the hottest new tool" in genealogy, which is why Web sites on the subject run second only in hits to pornography pages. With those kind of statistics, it is easy to see that this "hot new tool' is going to be marketed and hyped to the hilt. Unfortunately, sometimes the hype exceeds the actual benefit that can reasonably be expected to accrue. Minorities, in particular, are targeted. Because most black African Americans do not know what part of Africa their ancestors came from, or what tribe, they are immensely interested to find out anything that will give them a connection to their mother country. So is learning that you have a genetic marker that is shared by a widespread group of people in Africa worth $349.? That would, of course, depend on your curiosity and finances. Is the hype promising a greater benefit than can be delivered? Some bio-ethicists say the sales pitch raises unreasonable expectations. "DNA is going to be very important and it’s on the cutting edge,” said professional genealogist Tony Burroughs, who teaches at Chicago State University. “But it’s not a panacea. You’re not going to discover your entire family tree from a little spit on a cotton swab.”Burroughs, author of “Black Roots: A Beginners Guide to Tracing the African American Family Tree” argues that DNA can’t replace old-fashioned reporting work.But rather, he feels genealogical breakthroughs will come from uncovering previously forgotten written records. He’s after names, addresses and other hard facts. Another group that is often targeted by testing companies is Native American Indians. There are many people in the Americas who descend from the Native American Indigenous peoples of these continents. Some know it, some suspect it, some have no idea. The suppression of knowledge about Native American bloodlines was a direct effect of government policies since Europeans first set foot on North and South American. It is now believed that, the diseases, unwittingly carried by the Europeans, wiped out about 75-95% of the original population. The remaining population was systematically cheated and dispossessed, until only remnant bands remained and these were herded onto reservations or relocated to distant lands. The so called Trail of Tears separated many families. Other similar sad events had the same consequences. Many Native Americans assimilated and intermarried with whites. Traders and early day hunters were eager to take Indian wives to gain access to rich hunting grounds. The descendants of these dispossessed people often had no way to unravel their true genetic heritage. In the late 19th century, it wasn't a popular thing for parents to pass on to children. Some had a vague idea or heard rumors, but there was nothing substantial to go on. Now there is. For as little as $99.00, a male in a surname group can learn if his Y chromosome paternal line is Native American. Similarly, a woman or a man could take the mtDNA test (group priced at $129. or as low as $89. for existing Family Tree DNA customers), and learn if their straight-line maternal line is Native American. Several different testing companies offer reductions in price to participants in surname groups of at least six. The problem with both Y and mtDNA testing is that due to racial mixing, a person's paternal line; father's father's father's, etc. may lead back to a European man and the maternal line; mother's mother's mother's may lead back to a European woman. This can hold true in some cases for a person who looks entirely Native American. One Native American man from Canada discovered that not only is he descended from an Englishman on the Y chromosome, but he is eligible for some hereditary position in England. Other than finding out you are really an English Earl with a castle in England (and a substantial inheritance), this type of result would disappoint many. One of the better known media hyped DNA tests was that of the Melungeons, a dark skinned group of unknown origin living in Tennessee in the early 1800's. These DNA tests were started about 2000, as a volunteer effort; there was no cost to the participants except unfulfilled expectations, frustration and time lost. After many promises of the results being announced, there was finally an announcement, of sorts, on June 23, 2002. Were the expectations met? Without pointing a finger of blame at any one person, I would have to say; "No". For several reasons. The announcement only included preliminary results and comments. No actual DNA raw data was ever presented to participants or anyone else. No known peer review was ever conducted. No questions were answered conclusively. It was called a "Population" test, but only had around 100 participants. Its purported purpose was to capture a view of the Y chromosome and mtDNA haplogroups carried by these few self identified Melungeon descendants that came down to them from their Melungeon foreparents. Even though several generations had passed and their ancestry now had the input of many other ancestors, this was supposed to offer some information. Yet to this day, the "results" of this test are quoted as if they are valid. Regrettably this lucrative new field has attracted some so called "experts" whose only talents consist of cutting and pasting together impressive looking reports. In my opinion, their professional background should be investigated thoroughly before investing in their interpretation of your DNA data. Many good people are involved in the new science of Genealogy by DNA. Quite a few are donating their time and expertise. It would certainly be to the DNA test subject's advantage to join a list of persons researching this area and learn all you can before spending your hard earned money on consultations with "Internet" experts. Once you are better informed you can make better decisions as to how the allocate the funds, if any, you decide to budget for this expenditure. The latest player among DNA tests is the autosomal test. This type of test, tests the DNA inherited from both parents and shuffled during transmission. It was thought that certain genes would be informative to determine ethnic percentages. These tests were highly touted for this ability, but soon found lacking. What the DNAPrint test can do is predict majority ethnicity. And that is very important for forensic purposes. When the FBI profiled a serial killer in Louisiana as a white loner type, the DNAPrint test revealed him to be predominantly black. This new information led to his arrest and possibly saved lives of future victims. However the hype surrounding this test, claiming to be able to detect as little as 3% of an ethnicity has led many people to believe, erroneously, that they have an ancestor of a previously unsuspected ethnicity when, in actuality, they do not. Experts say the test is only accurate to + or - 15%. Recently a utility named OmniPop became the cause celebre among some DIY geneticists. But the creator, Brian Burritt, has stated he never intended this utility to be used for this purpose. And it would be very misleading if used in this manner. In addition, Family Tree DNA has issued a statement cautioning against reliance on this utility. An excellent service now available is http://www.dnaexplain.com/. So, in conclusion the answer to "Can Genealogy by DNA Deliver?" is a qualified "Yes". Just be sure you have a clearly defined objective; more than one objective is fine. Do your homework and learn the limitations of Genealogy research utilizing DNA testing. And be sure you are using the right test to answer your questions. Don't be embarrassed to ask questions of those more knowledgeable than yourself. Most of us knew little to nothing about this new Genealogy tool when we first became interested. The technology is very new. It is changing at a dizzying speed. It is cutting edge. It can be tedious waiting for results. It can be disappointing when the results are not to your expectations. But the rewards are many and very exiting for those who understand these obstacles. And you will surely have something to talk about at your next Family Reunion. A new book that is sure to be helpful is Trace Your Roots With DNA; by Megan Smolenyak and Ann Turner, the administrator of Rootsweb's popular Mailing list Genealogy-DNA. From Amazon.com's Author Biographies: =============================================== Megan Smolenyak has been an avid genealogist for more than three decades and is an expert at family history research. The lead researcher for the PBS Ancestors series, she is a contributing editor for Heritage Quest and the author of Honoring Our Ancestors, In Search of Our Ancestors, , and They Came to America, . She currently resides in Williamsburg, VA. Ann Turner was hooked on genealogy when she learned that her parents' ancestors had arrived in the United States on the same ship yet went their separate ways until her parents met 300 years later. She works at home, writing computer software and composing messages for the popular Genealogy-DNA mailing list. She currently resides in Menlo Park, California. =============================
 Genpage.com Bookstore; My Personal Recommendations Free Genealogy Sites and other Sites of Interest
 Wales DNA ProjectLEWIS Surname DNA Project We Are Not Our AncestorsComprehensive Collection of Genetic Articles; Updated Daily Ancestral Fires Online Journal of Genetic Genealogy (JoGG) International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG) Genpage.com Bookstore Rootsweb Genealogy-DNA List Archives Browse, Search or Join the Rootsweb Genealogy-DNA List Here Kerchner's DNA Testing & Genetic Genealogy Info Resources Page SHETLAND ISLANDS DNA: Y - DNA SURNAME PROJECT DNA GENEALOGY TIMELINE Genetic Genealogy World Families Network Site Genealogyblog Free Online Genetics Course Genographic DNA Testing DNA Basics Tracing Your Ancestry Through DNA DNA offers avenue to black ancestry The Melungeon Mystery Solved by James S. Elder NATURE Genome Announcement a Milestone, but Only a Beginning Family Tree DNA Library Family Tree DNA in the News The DNA Collection Process in Pictures Whit Athey's Haplogroup Predictor; Enter Markers to Learn Haplogroup Genetealogy: A Comprehesive Collection of Genetic and Genealogy Resources NOVA - Building a Y-DNA based Family Tree A place to explore human and family roots Ethnic Groups Comparison Y-Chromosome Haplogroups Y Chromosme Consortium: Human Y-Chromosomal Binary Haplogroups Y Comparison Neolithic Ancestry NATURE Jewish Cohanim Y-chromosomes haplotypes Article Compositions and methods for inferring ancestry: DNAPrint Thousands of Sephardic Surnames and other Heraldry. Crain,Crane,McCain,McCane,McKain,McKane,McKean,McKein,Craine,Cain,Crayne,Krane,Crehan, … Board at Relative Genetics. Forum for researchers of ALL forms of the CRAIN/CRANE surname To join the NEW Melungeon-DNA email list, click on the link below and put only the word subscribe in the message: MELUNGEON-DNA-L-request@rootsweb.com
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: Janet Crain;
Administrator LEWIS Surname DNA Project, Co-administrator of the Melungeon_DNA Project, SIZEMORE Y Chromosome Surname Study,
the CRAIN Y Chromosome Surname Study, the Stamper DNA Project, and the STINNETT Y Chromosome Surname Study
Administrator of Rootsweb lists; Melungeon, Crain-DNA and Melungeon-DNA.
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