And here's my take on mtDNA: It's best use is anthropology. We'll get a lot of the Out of Africa theory stuff from it. I'd have to find my notes, but the mtDNA Plus test covers something like 1500 base pairs. The mtDNA Full Sequence or Mega covers the entire 16,000+ base pair molecule. The WHOLE thing.
To use mtDNA for genealogy, it would be best to use it in conjunction with another researcher. Let's say you and I had a theory that our mother's mother's mother's mother's were sisters, but be couldn't prove it because the church books were lost or don't go back that far. However, we are in the same freguesia and our ancestor are the godmother's for each other's kids. So if we both take an mtDNA test and we match perfectly, then yes, we can be pretty sure that we are cousins. With that being said, the first DNA match ever made in the Azores project was with an mtDNA match, off of the mtDNA Basic test (which they don't offer anymore - too ambiguous). A man in Brazil matched a woman in California. They both had are fairly rare mutation. With a little more paper trail research they proved it too. When the mtDNA Full Sequence/Mega test first came out, it was about $500 USD! Things have sure changed since then. I did test my mom on the Full Sequence/Mega, only because we were having a few too many hospitalizations at that time. I didn't expect to get anything out of it and to date, have not got any matches out of it. But it will be there for me when the day comes. I never tested my dad's mtDNA. That line is a bit of a dead end, but I haven't quite exhausted the paper trail yet. But knowing that it was $500 at one time and this is the best price on the Full Sequence/Mega, I went ahead and ordered it on him. However, I know full well NOT to expect any genealogical matches unless I get lucky and he has a rare mutation. I might as well go place a bet on who is going to win the World Series in American baseball this fall. I wouldn't win money on that and I don't expect to hit pay dirt with my dad's mtDNA either. But it is a good deal and then I'll have his DNA there when I need it. Cheri Mello Azores DNA Admin (volunteer) On Fri, Mar 28, 2014 at 3:00 PM, Richard Francis Pimentel < [email protected]> wrote: > *Hello Joseph,* > > > > *Unless you want to test a different family member. I would wait until you > get the results of the tests you have already ordered. The Full Sequence > MtDNA would be useful in some cases but I would see what your results are > from the MtDNA plus. * > > > > *I am a Haplogroup "W" this haplogroup is not common and the total > percentage world is a small percentage. Many "W"s in this country can trace > their ancestry to a single French Canadian in the 1600's. If you have a > very common haplogroup you may want to consider the Full Sequence to thin > out the number of matches.* > > > > *Rick* > > > > > *Family Tree DNA Co-AdministratorAzores DNA Project* > > > > *Azores DNA Project Co-Administrators* > > *All unpaid volunteers * > > *Cheri Mello - [email protected] <[email protected]> * > > *Rick Pimentel - [email protected] <[email protected]> * > > *Nancy Jean Baptista - [email protected] <[email protected]> > * > > > > *From:* [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] *On > Behalf Of *Joseph Costa > *Sent:* Friday, March 28, 2014 3:20 PM > *To:* [email protected] > *Cc:* azores > *Subject:* [AZORES-Genealogy] Re: FTDA MTdna sale > > > > Ok. So, a couple of weeks ago, I ordered three tests: 1) the Family > Finder, 2) Y-DNA37 markers, and 3) mt-DNA Plus. Does anyone think there is > any value to my doing one of these discounted upgrades they are offering? > > On Friday, March 28, 2014 9:13:32 AM UTC-4, E Sharp wrote: > > Family Tree DNA is having a sale on its mtDNA (Maternal line) $139. > > > > "E" > > > > > > -- > For 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." > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Azores Genealogy" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/azores. > > -- > For 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." > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Azores Genealogy" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/azores. > -- Cheri Mello Listowner, Azores-Gen Researching: Vila Franca, Ponta Garca, Ribeira Quente, Ribeira das Tainhas, Achada -- For 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." --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Azores Genealogy" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/azores.
