THESE 3 GENEALOGIST ARE THE LEADERS USING DNA IN OUR MEMBERSHIP

 Mr. Charles. Acree 
   Back in the early days of personal computers, he designed one of the first commercial programs to organize and display genealogical findings.  More recently, he's created a large impressive genealogical website and is now coordinating a DNA project that seeks to connect people having his surname.  

Newbie?  Start with DNA Adviser

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*  Explore our learning resources and discover the world of genetics!  *

Are YOU ready to get your DNA test today?

   P.B.G.S. MEMBERS USE THIS DATA TO SPEED UP YOUR LEARNING 
CURVE USING GENETICS IN YOUR RESEARCH

If I've Had My DNA Tests Performed Elsewhere, Can I Post It On Ancestry?

Yes. If you've tested with Family Tree DNA or the National Geographic Genographic Project, you can add your DNA information to our databases right now. Simply go to dna.ancestry.com and click the link that says, "Enter your Y results or mtDNA results from Family Tree DNA and others."

You will be able to add results from other companies in the near future. Keep checking back. There are also other public databases you can check to find more DNA matches: www.ybase.org, www.ysearch.org, and www.smgf.org.

Do my DNA results have to be from Ancestry.com to join a group?

No. You can always enter your 3rd party DNA results into the DNA system, free of charge. Your DNA results will be distinguished from Ancestry.com's DNA results by an asterisk to indicate the results have been manually entered. But for the purposes of comparing DNA either as a group or with other participants, all DNA results are treated equally.

How is the list for Paternal DNA Matches calculated?

The "Paternal DNA Matches" screen displays matches in a ranked order based on the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) between the user and the individual in the list. MRCA refers to a statistical calculation that determines the likely range of generations in which two individuals share a common ancestor. MRCA calculations are based on the number of markers tested, the number of matching values and the mutation rate of the markers (see chart below). Ancestry.com DNA uses marker-specific mutation rates, where available, in its MRCA calculation to provide a more precise analysis (as opposed to an average rate). This calculation does not take into account the surnames of the individuals involved. Therefore, it is possible that a 40/43 with a different surname will match more closely than a 42/43 with the same surname -- depending on the specific markers where the mismatch occurs.

Learn Genetics at the University of Utah.  

           This web site is listed and recommended for understanding genetics and having fun doing it!

THE SEVEN DAUGHTERS OF EVE

The Seven Daughters of Eve (2001, ISBN 0-393-02018-5) is a book by Bryan Sykes that presents the theory of human mitochondrial genetics to a general audience. Sykes explains the principles of genetics and human evolution, the particularities of mitochondrial genetics, and analyses of ancient DNA to genetically link modern humans to prehistoric ancestors.

Following the developments of mitochondrial genetics, Sykes traces back human migrations, discusses the "out of Africa theory" and refutes Heyerdahl's theory of the Peruvian origin of the Polynesians, which opposed the theory of their origin in Indonesia. He also describes the use of mitochondrial DNA in identifying the remains of Czar Nicholas II, and in assessing the genetic makeup of modern Europe.

The title of the book comes from one of the principal achievements of mitochondrial genetics, which is the classification of all modern Europeans into seven groups, the mitochondrial haplogroups. Each haplogroup is defined by set of characteristic mutations on the mitochondrial genome, and can be traced along a person's maternal line to a specific prehistoric woman. Sykes refers to these women as "clan mothers", though these women did not all live concurrently. Indeed some "clan mothers" are descended from others (although not maternally). All these women in turn shared a common maternal ance

David Hess and Gareth Pollard
updated: 09/21/2010