Background on the Family Finder test (autosomal DNA) at Family Tree DNA (FTDNA):
For 10 or more years, the only way to utilize DNA was to test the Y chromosome (the last of the 23 pairs of human chromosomes) to trace the father's father's father's line. Another way was to utilize what is called mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) which traced the mother's mother's mother's line. Most results from mtDNA were more anthropological in nature (historical, out of Africa type info). However, the first DNA match made in the Azores DNA project was made with mtDNA, as both people had a rare mutation. FTDNA did put an autosomal test on the market in the early days, but pulled it, as they were unhappy with the results. Many years went by as the geneticists continued to develop it. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes. The first 22 are autosomal and the 23rd pair is what is called the sex chromosomes - making a man a man and a woman a woman. A lot of work went into that 23rd pair (it was only one pair, after all), and it took much much longer to work on the other 22 pairs. Here's what I wrote last year on the Family Finder (autosomal DNA) test, trying to make an analogy to spaghetti. ================================================ A little over a decade ago, the only DNA that could be used for genealogy was the Y-DNA or the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). About 2 years ago, autosomal DNA (Family Tree DNA calls it the Family Finder test) came into the picture. So now there are 3 types of DNA tests for genealogy. I'll try this analogy (hope it works). Your DNA is like a box of spaghetti. Have you ever opened a box of standard spaghetti to find a stray piece of the flatter noodle (fettuccine or linguine)? Or maybe a random macaroni snuck in there. The box of spaghetti represents the 22 pairs of your autosomal DNA. There is only one other pair - the 23rd pair which are the sex chromosomes (where the Y makes a man a man). You can pretend that's the fettuccine or linguine that snuck into the box. And you can pretend that the macaroni is the mitochondrial DNA. You can look at that lost piece of fettuccine or linguine and know EXACTLY where it came from. It looks different than the regular spaghetti. That's like the Y-chromosome which men have. We know EXACTLY where a man got his Y from: his father, who got it from his father who got it from his father. It's the top of your pedigree chart. Since I'm not a man, I made my dad test his Y-chromosome. So I got George to Manuel to Jose to Vitorino to Antonio de Mello, etc. You get the picture. So when my dad gets a match, I'll know which line it is on. On the other hand, we can pretend that the piece of macaroni that found its way into the spaghetti box is the mtDNA. Both men and women inherit that and we know exactly how that's inherited: the mother's mother's mother's line or the bottom of the pedigree chart. The mtDNA is usually better used for anthropology type research more than genealogy, but we've had a couple of mtDNA matches in the Azores project. But the rest of that box is just spaghetti. They all look the same. Suppose you are having a dinner party and went to the store and bought your favorite brand, Rozoni (I have no idea how well known some of these brands are around the world of the listers, so bear with me). As you start to cook for this dinner party, you realize you need more spaghetti. So you send your significant other to the store and the end result is Barilla brand. It's all spaghetti, so you throw it in the pot and cook it up. And none of your guests know that you used two boxes, each a different brand. Autosomal DNA (Family Finder) is spaghetti from Rozoni, Barilla, De Cecco, Prince, etc. Unless you are some kind of spaghetti connoisseur, you can't tell the difference. You inherit half of your DNA from your mom (Rozoni brand) and half from your dad (Barilla brand). Each one of your parents got half from their parents (DeCecco and Prince brands). But it's not labelled. And it actually recombines (Rozoni breaks off and fuses together with Barilla). OK, I know that spaghetti doesn't do that in real life, but hopefully, it will help you get the picture. So when my dad and Shirley Allegre matched with their Family Finder results (the spaghetti or autosomal DNA), we didn't know where. It's just a tangle of spaghetti. Since my dad and Shirley both have Antonio de Mello in their tree, we knew some of the matching was coming from there. Marge Perry also matches both my dad and Shirley. It was more distant and we don't know exactly how, but we have an idea it has something to do with Vila Franca. More research will tell. =========================== Back to Cheri, today, March 2nd: I never tested my own DNA with FTDNA as both my parents are alive. I used the oldest generation available to me since they have 100% of their DNA and I have only 50% of their DNA. However, at the last sale, I did do Family Finder on me and will have the results back in about a month. Cheri Mello FTDNA Admin with Rick Pimentel (we are all volunteers) Azores DNA Project On Thu, Mar 1, 2012 at 4:24 PM, Pam Santos <[email protected]> wrote: > I keep hearing about this Family Tree Finder is it something new? I had > paid for someone to do a Y dna test first 12, then upgrade to 37, only > problem the people who match when you contact them don't respond. I am > also thinking of doing a Maternal one, my question is would it be worth it? > Have others done their maternal side or normally just the males? > > > On Thu, Mar 1, 2012 at 8:18 AM, Richard Francis Pimentel < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> *Hi All,* >> >> * * >> >> *I received this from another Family Tree DNA admin and thought I would >> share it.* >> >> * * >> >> *While the matches in this message do not relate to Azorean Genealogy >> the message is interesting and for those who have taken the Family Finder >> DNA test may find it of interest. What I find interesting is the Y-DNA and >> MtDNA test had not provided obvious matches where the Family Finder test >> opened the connections.* >> >> * * >> >> *Rick* >> >> * * >> >> * * >> >> *My husband Sam did YDNA and mtDNA tests at FTDNA 6 years ago. Currently >> he has 1,469 HVR1 & HVR2 matches for his mtDNA (H3) and none for his YDNA. >> It’s been discouraging. So we decided to take advantage of the recent >> Family Finder sale at FTDNA. >> >> He had many 3-5 generation matches. Some of the names were interesting, >> but I thought, oh --- too far out on the branch to be helpful. And I was >> busy with other things, so didn’t get in touch with any of these people. >> BUT, one of them got in touch with me! "Sue" asked if Sam’s great >> grandmother had ever been in Lithuania? YES, she had! An intense exchange >> of emails ensued. I was familiar with Sue from FindAGrave and she was VERY >> familiar with Sam’s family. She gave me the vitals for many people. Because >> of this I was able to find others, and we were able to confirm that Sue and >> Sam are 4th cousins. Sam has another cousin "Jane" in this line who we’ve >> known for years, but no one knew exactly what the relationship was – or had >> not pursued any research. This prompted Sam to email Jane, and armed with >> our updated tree, they figured out that Jane and Sam are 3rd cousins! BTW - >> Sue had been in touch with Jane years earlier! Who Knew! >> >> Lessons Learned (and these are all very obvious, but frequently >> forgotten): 1. Sometimes information provided by family members is >> incorrect or incomplete. My mother-in-law had told me that her grandmother >> was from Odessa. She couldn’t say how she knew this and there was no proof. >> 2. It is helpful to include as much detail as possible when filling in the >> little boxes at FTDNA. In addition to Odessa, I should have indicated that >> great grandmother ALSO lived in Lithuania. 3. Don’t get discouraged or >> overwhelmed, and DO pay attention to relevant Names + Locations of 3-5 >> matches. * >> >> [image: Description: http://www.myfamily.com/p]**** >> >> [image: Description: http://www.myfamily.com/p]**** >> >> [image: Description: http://www.myfamily.com/p]**** >> >> * * >> >> * * >> >> * * >> >> * * >> >> * * >> >> *Rick* >> >> * * >> >> *Richard Francis Pimentel* >> >> *Spring, TX* >> >> *Formerly of Epping, New Hampshire * >> >> * * >> >> *Researching, Riberia Grande, Riberinha Ponta Delgada, and Achada >> Grande, Sao Miguel, Acores* >> >> ** ** >> >> -- >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> [email protected]. Follow the confirmation directions >> when they arrive. >> For more options, such as changing to List, Digest, Abridged, or No Mail >> (vacation) mode, log into your Google account and visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/Azores. Click in the blue area on the >> right that says "Join this group" and it will take you to "Edit my >> membership." > > > -- > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. Follow the confirmation directions > when they arrive. > For more options, such as changing to List, Digest, Abridged, or No Mail > (vacation) mode, log into your Google account and visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/Azores. Click in the blue area on the > right that says "Join this group" and it will take you to "Edit my > membership." > -- Cheri Mello Listowner, Azores-Gen Researching: Vila Franca, Ponta Garca, Ribeira Quente, Ribeira das Tainhas, Achada -- To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. Follow the confirmation directions when they arrive. For more options, such as changing to List, Digest, Abridged, or No Mail (vacation) mode, log into your Google account and visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Azores. Click in the blue area on the right that says "Join this group" and it will take you to "Edit my membership."
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