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Begin Your Ancestral Journey

Who were your ancestors? Discover your deep ancestral roots using genetic genealogy. Find out where your ancestors came from, discover their ethnic background, and trace the roots of your surname.

Genetic genealogy is the newest and most exciting addition to genealogy research. Login to your control panel and watch as your projects unfold. Participate today and embark on a journey of discovery.

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Retrace the path of your ancestors back 150,000 years to its ancient roots in Africa.
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FEATURED ARTICLE
Learn interesting facts about your ancestry, discover your global family and more »

Tutorials

What are Y-DNA STR markers?
Find out what Y-DNA STR markers are and how they are used to investigate your paternal lineage.
Y-DNA STR Markers - A Case Study
Find out how Mr. Brown used Y-DNA STR markers to verify his paternal lineage and to find new paternal line relatives.
The Y-STR Marker Testing Process
Take a step-by-step- tour of the procedures used to obtain your final Y-DNA STR marker results
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Paternal Ancestry
DNA Lesson: Y-DNA STR Testing

Purpose:

To trace your paternal ancestry using Y-DNA STR markers

Requirement:

Y-DNA 20, 44, 67, 91 or 101 STR Marker Test for paternal ancestry

All living things, including humans, are made up of cells. Humans are made up of many different kind of cells, including skin cells, blood cells, buccal cells (inside the mouth), muscle cells, fat cells, and many more.

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Y-DNA Case Study
Y-DNA STR Markers - A Case Study
Get your Y-DNA STR markers today.

After testing many STR markers on your Y-Chromosome, you will obtain your Y-DNA STR marker profile. This is also called your “Y-DNA haplotype”. Your Y-DNA haplotype is the overall profile for your DNA markers and is unique to different family groups.

By comparing your Y-DNA haploytype to other males, you can begin piecing together the puzzle of your global family network. Because your Y-DNA haploytpe is passed down to you from your ancient forefathers, all males who share the same lineage as you, even if it is very distant, will have the same Y-DNA haplotype as you. Using this powerful information, you can determine whether a family line with your same surname shares a common paternal ancestor with you (same paternal family line as yourself), and which family groups originated from a different paternal line.

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Y-DNA STR Marker Testing
Track the Steps of Your Y-DNA STR Marker Test

Track the steps of your Y-DNA STR marker test, step-by-step, through the various stages of DNA extraction, processing, sequencing and analysis.

Step 1: DNA Collection

DNA is collected from inside the mouth using special swabs provided in the Participation Kit. By rubbing the swabs gently inside the mouth against the cheek, loose skin cells called “buccal cells” will adhere to the swab. Buccal cells contain DNA which is used for DNA ancestry testing.

The collection is fast and painless, and takes seconds to complete. After collection, the samples are inserted into the pre-addressed return envelope provided in the kit and sent directly back to the laboratory for processing.

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Y-DNA STR Marker Testing
Track the Steps of Your Y-DNA STR Marker Test

Track the steps of your Y-DNA STR marker test, step-by-step, through the various stages of DNA extraction, processing, sequencing and analysis.

Step 5: Sequencing

Sequencing is the final stage of the testing procedure and allows the scientist to visualize the Y-DNA STR markers. During sequencing, the amplified DNA is drawn up a capillary which contains a gel matrix. Depending on the type of marker, it will migrate across the gel at a different rate, effectively separating into “bands”. As bands of labelled DNA move across the capillary, they are detected by a laser beam which collects information about the Y-DNA STR marker type.

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Paternal Ancestry
DNA Lesson: Y-DNA STR Testing

Purpose:

To trace your paternal ancestry using Y-DNA STR markers

Requirement:

Y-DNA 20, 44, 67, 91 or 101 STR Marker Test for paternal ancestry

To follow is an example of a Y-DNA STR marker called DYS19. The section of DNA which repeats itself is TAGA. Thus, someone with a DYS19 marker of 6 will have TAGA repeated 6 times. The DNA test will indicate that the DYS19 marker is 6 for this individual. DYS19 = 6.

Someone with a DYS19 marker of 4 will have TAGA is repeated 4 times. In this case, the DNA test will indicate that the DYS19 marker is 4 for this individual. DYS19 = 4.

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Paternal Ancestry
DNA Lesson: Y-DNA STR Testing

Purpose:

To trace your paternal ancestry using Y-DNA STR markers

Requirement:

Y-DNA 20, 44, 67, 91 or 101 STR Marker Test for paternal ancestry

When a Y-Chromosome test is performed, 20, 67 or 101 Y-DNA STR markers are analyzed to generate a unique “profile” for that individual. Two males with the same male lineage with the same forefathers will have the same or similar profiles. The closer the match in profiles, the more recently two individuals shared the same forefather. Obviously, the more markers that are tested, the more powerful your test becomes and the more stringent your searches are when searching for matches.

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Paternal Ancestry
DNA Lesson: Y-DNA STR Testing

Purpose:

To trace your paternal ancestry using Y-DNA STR markers

Requirement:

Y-DNA 20, 44, 67, 91 or 101 STR Marker Test for paternal ancestry

With the exception of the egg and sperm cell, all of the cells in our body contain 23 pairs of chromosomes, 46 in total. One chromosome from the pair is inherited from our mother and the other one is passed down from our father. This is a picture of all of the chromosomes in a cell (this type of picture is called a karyotype).

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Paternal Ancestry
DNA Lesson: Y-DNA STR Testing

Purpose:

To trace your paternal ancestry using Y-DNA STR markers

Requirement:

Y-DNA 20, 44, 67, 91 or 101 STR Marker Test for paternal ancestry

Most of the cells in our bodies (with the exception of red blood cells) have a nucleus. The nucleus of all of our cells, doesn’t matter which cell type, contains chromosomes, and chromosomes are responsible for storing our hereditary information. Chromosomes are made up of DNA (stands for deoxyribonucleic acid). DNA is like a blueprint because it holds the informational code for all of the genetic information for that person. The DNA for each individual is unique to that person.

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Paternal Ancestry
DNA Lesson: Y-DNA STR Testing

Purpose:

To trace your paternal ancestry using Y-DNA STR markers

Requirement:

Y-DNA 20, 44, 67, 91 or 101 STR Marker Test for paternal ancestry

Both males and females have 23 pairs of chromosomes. However, in males, the 23rd pair consists of an X-Chromosome and a Y-Chromosome, whereas females have two X-Chromosomes. The Y-Chromosome is special because it carries ancestral information regarding a male’s paternal line.

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Paternal Ancestry
DNA Lesson: Y-DNA STR Testing

Purpose:

To trace your paternal ancestry using Y-DNA STR markers

Requirement:

Y-DNA 20, 44, 67, 91 or 101 STR Marker Test for paternal ancestry

DNA looks like a twisted ladder and is often referred to as a “double helix”. The double helix consists of two complementary chains of DNA twisted together.

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Paternal Ancestry
DNA Lesson: Y-DNA STR Testing

Purpose:

To trace your paternal ancestry using Y-DNA STR markers

Requirement:

Y-DNA 20, 44, 67, 91 or 101 STR Marker Test for paternal ancestry

If we were to hypothetically untwist the DNA strand and lay it flat, it would look like a ladder. The two sides of the ladder are called the DNA’s “backbone”. The steps inside the ladder represent “bases”. There are 4 types of bases in DNA: A (for adenine), C (for cytosine), T (for thymine), and G (for guanosine). In the DNA strand, A always pairs with a T, and C always pairs with a G. The unique sequence of the A, C, T, and G in DNA forms codes which carry genetic information.

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Paternal Ancestry
DNA Lesson: Y-DNA STR Testing

Purpose:

To trace your paternal ancestry using Y-DNA STR markers

Requirement:

Y-DNA 20, 44, 67, 91 or 101 STR Marker Test for paternal ancestry

When DNA is deciphered by genetic testing, the DNA code can be written in the following manner:

A G C T G G G A C A A T G G G C G C T A G G C C C C C C…

No two individuals (except for identical twins) have exactly the same genetic code and that is what makes everyone unique. However, all males with the same surname who are originated from a common paternal lineage will share the same or very similar genetic code in their Y-Chromosome. Unrelated males from a different family line will have a different Y-Chromosome code.

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Paternal Ancestry
DNA Lesson: Y-DNA STR Testing

Purpose:

To trace your paternal ancestry using Y-DNA STR markers

Requirement:

Y-DNA 20, 44, 67, 91 or 101 STR Marker Test for paternal ancestry

A male inherits his Y-Chromosome directly from his father. The Y-Chromosome that a male receives from his father is very special because it holds a lot of valuable information about his ancestry. This is because the Y-Chromosome is passed down along the male line, relatively unchanged from generation to generation. A forefather will pass his Y-Chromosome down to all of his sons, and they will then pass it down to all of their sons, and so on throughout the generations along the male line. Thus, males who are descendents of the same line will have the same or nearly identical Y-Chromosomes.

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Paternal Ancestry
DNA Lesson: Y-DNA STR Testing

Purpose:

To trace your paternal ancestry using Y-DNA STR markers

Requirement:

Y-DNA 20, 44, 67, 91 or 101 STR Marker Test for paternal ancestry

When a Y-Chromosome genealogy test is performed, the laboratory examines specific regions (markers) along the Y-Chromosome called “hypervariable” regions. Hypervariable regions are areas within the Y-Chromosome that may differ greatly between different family lines. The type of hypervariable region which is studied in Y-Chromosome testing is called STR markers (stands for “Short Tandem Repeat” markers). STR markers are regions of the Y-Chromosome where small chunks of the DNA are repeated over and over again. The number of times that these small chunks of DNA repeat themselves in the Y-Chromosome is variable amongst different family lines.

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Paternal Ancestry
DNA Lesson: Y-DNA STR Testing

Purpose:

To trace your paternal ancestry using Y-DNA STR markers

Requirement:

Y-DNA 20, 44, 67, 91 or 101 STR Marker Test for paternal ancestry

By testing your Y-DNA STR markers, a DNA laboratory can provide you with your Y DNA STR marker profile which is specific for your paternal ancestry. Because all males with the same ancestors will have the same or similar Y DNA STR marker profile, you can compare your markers against other males to solve questions about your paternal ancestry, to conclusively link family lines and to discover you distant relatives who share a common paternal ancestor with yourself. DNA testing has become the most exciting and fastest growing branch of genealogy.

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Y-DNA STR Marker Testing
Track the Steps of Your Y-DNA STR Marker Test

Track the steps of your Y-DNA STR marker test, step-by-step, through the various stages of DNA extraction, processing, sequencing and analysis.

Step 4: PCR Amplification

PCR stands for “Polymerase Chain Reaction”. During the PCR process, the DNA strands are separated at high temperatures. “Primers” are added to the reaction. These primers are specific for each Y-DNA STR marker which is examined. The primers are designed to anneal “stick” to the DNA strands. After the primers have annealed around the part of the DNA to be examined, the conditions are changed and the region of interest is duplicated using a chemical called TAQ polymerase.

This process is repeated over and over again to specifically amplify the Y-DNA markers of interest. In just hours, this PCR process will generate millions of copies of the marker of interest for examination.

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Y-DNA STR Marker Testing
Track the Steps of Your Y-DNA STR Marker Test

Track the steps of your Y-DNA STR marker test, step-by-step, through the various stages of DNA extraction, processing, sequencing and analysis.

Step 6: Analysis

The information obtained from Step 5 is then output into a computer which displays the results as a series of peaks. Each peak corresponds to one Y-DNA STR marker and the location of the peak allows the lab to determine the size of the Y-DNA STR marker. This raw laboratory data is then converted into allele values which are used to generate a final report indicating your exact Y-DNA STR marker profile.

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Y-DNA Case Study
Y-DNA STR Markers - A Case Study
To follow is a scenario of how Y-DNA STR marker testing can help Mr. Brown dig up his ancestral roots:

Mr. Brown is interested in researching his roots and is expanding his ancestral search. Mr. Brown has several male relatives which share his surname. The oldest living male member of his Brown line is his grand-uncle who is 89 years old.

Mr. Brown begins by testing himself, his male cousin (his dad’s brother’s son), and his grand-uncle. Because of the age of his grand-uncle, it is important for him to test the senior Mr. Brown right away because his grand-uncle is physically very frail and may not be available for testing in a few years.

 
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Y-DNA Case Study
Y-DNA STR Markers - A Case Study

After conducting the test, as expected, Mr. Brown verifies that all three have exactly the same Y-DNA STR marker profile. After speaking with his grand-uncle, he was able to trace distant relatives in Europe who share his surname. After contacting various members of his European line, he obtained 9 participants and the results of the test show the following:

Mr. Brown and his cousin share the same Y-DNA STR marker profile. He also shares the same Y-DNA STR marker profile as group 2 and group 5 of his European line. There is a single mutation in group 3 and group 4, indicating that although they are related, it is more distant, and that groups 3 and 4 are closely related to each other. Group 7, however is not related to this particular Brown family line.

After finding out this exciting information, his newfound European family lines were able to bring more extended family into the surname project, and within a few months, Mr. Brown was able to connect and piece together a large puzzle of his ancestry.

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Y-DNA Case Study
Y-DNA STR Markers - A Case Study
Get your Y-DNA STR markers today.

Y-DNA STR markers are a powerful tool for confirming paternal lineages and searching for new paternal line family members. Y-DNA STR markers and the DNA Reunion database allows you to easily kick start and grow an amazing project for yourself and your family, a project that you can proudly pass down to your future generations.

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Y-DNA Case Study
Y-DNA STR Markers - A Case Study

Mr. Brown then searched the DNA Reunion public database for genetic matches and found that several other lines of Browns in Australia and Germany matched his Brown line perfectly, thus allowing the three Brown families to merge their information into a large global project. In a matter of 6 months, Mr. Brown has pieced together his ancestry dating back to the 1300’s and is now in contact with his “global family”, a family of Browns who are descendents of a common Brown ancestor.

Mr. Brown is now continuing to grow his highly successful project by encouraging other Browns worldwide to participate to see if they are linked. The Brown project has become very interesting with a deep history and many remarkable figures and ties throughout history. Mr. Brown feels that his journey has opened an amazing chapter of his life and is now en route to linking together Brown lines worldwide and discovering and recreating his amazing lineage.

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Y-DNA STR Marker Testing
Track the Steps of Your Y-DNA STR Marker Test

Track the steps of your Y-DNA STR marker test, step-by-step, through the various stages of DNA extraction, processing, sequencing and analysis.

Step 2: Cell Isolation

Once the laboratory receives your sample, the first step is to isolate the cells from the swab. This step is accomplished using special buffers which suspend the cells in solution.

Once the cells are isolated, they are further purified by a series of washes. This step is repeated several times to purify the sample.

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Y-DNA STR Marker Testing
Track the Steps of Your Y-DNA STR Marker Test

Track the steps of your Y-DNA STR marker test, step-by-step, through the various stages of DNA extraction, processing, sequencing and analysis.

Step 3: DNA Extraction & Purification

The DNA is now extracted from the cells using a process called “lysis”. During the lysis step, the cells membranes are broken open using chemical and heat. Once the cell membrane is broken, the DNA is released into the solution.

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