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Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2001-12 > 1008047284


From: "Orin R. Wells" <>
Subject: [DNA] DNA Reporting puzzle
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 21:08:04 -0800
In-Reply-To: <137.5cd4c33.293fb310@aol.com>


I was sent some results from an individual who had his y-DNA testing done
at both Oxford Ancestors and GeneTree in San Jose, California.

One of the things I learned from my visit at BYU last week is that it is
standard testing procedure for every lab when running samples through the
DNA Machines to run a standard CEPH Calibration Sample along with the
subject samples. CEPH Calibration samples are a set of samples kept in a
standards office in Paris France and which are available to any lab for
calibration purposes. The results of these samples are known. In this way
they can determine if the calibration is off a tad and adjust for this in
the results. One has to believe that both labs in this case are doing this
as should all labs engaged in y-DNA analysis. This means we should be able
to expect the same results from each of the labs.

>From the marker identifications being reported by GeneTree and translations
to STR numbers it is clear that GeneTree is using the same Lab for
processing as is Family Tree DNA, namely Dr. Hammer's lab at the University
of Arizona.

>From some earlier input regarding conversion from FamilyTree DNA "released
numbers back to the scientific alleles" you have to apply a set of
adjustment numbers. I have not seen the information that comes back from
the labs (FamilyTreeDNA or GeneTree) but in this case it certainly confused
the person who received this because nothing matched as they received it
and GeneTree appears not to be providing the adjustment information. One
can ask what may be a dumb question, and perhaps someone from FamilyTreeDNA
or GeneTree can answer it, why are they not using the scientific alleles in
the first place? I believe the answer is obvious from the results below.
If they provided the results in the scientific alleles numbers it would be
pretty easy for someone with access to sufficient tests to figure out what
the "unpublished" markers were. It appears that what the U of A is doing
is subtracting some random number (but the same in each sample) from each
of the marker results. Since they would get so much pain from not
providing the translation numbers for the "published" markers, they have at
least made these available. In this case applying the translation values
from FamilyTreeDNA to the results from GeneTree brings the 6 common markers
used between the two labs into alignment. It will be such a relief when
Dr. Hammer publishes his paper and we can all learn what the "unpublished"
markers are and maybe get them to start sending results in a more standard
and common format.

MarkerOxfordGeneTree
DYS1915
DYS388135 + 8 = 13
DYS389-I10
DYS389-II17
DYS390237 + 16 = 23
DYS391105 + 5 = 10
DYS392115 + 6 = 11
DYS393135 + 8 = 13
DYS3946 + 9 = 15 (see DYS19)
DYS42512
DYS42611
DYS #58
DYS #611
DYS #74
DYS #94
DYS #105
DYS #126


Orin R. Wells
Wells Family Research Association
P. O. Box 5427
Kent, Washington 98064-5427
<>
http://www.rootsweb.com/~wellsfam/wfrahome.html
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