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Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2005-03 > 1110510252


From: "David Wilson" <>
Subject: RE: [DNA] Newbie Project Admin Questions
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 19:04:12 -0800
In-Reply-To: <03aa01c521ae$8192e100$6501a8c0@MICRON>


Jane,

Please forgive the slow response to your post.

Yes, Ysearch and Ybase are the data bases of preference to allow people to
compare haplotypes regardless of which lab determined them. Both sites offer
instructions on the necessary adjustment factors that need to be borne in
mind for the few markers that are handled differently by different labs.

In general, I think any test taker should consider the 25-marker test a bare
minimum for genealogical purposes, and the full 37 marker test is not a bad
idea. More information is always better than less, even if you can't use all
of it right away. As you noted, the 12-marker test can be used to disprove a
relationship, but only in rare cases will it be detailed enough to
constitute good evidence of relatedness.

On matches with other surnames -- don't be surprised. It can happen
frequently with haplotypes that are heavily laden with the most common
marker values for particular haplogroups. In my own case, I have well over
100 12/12 matches within the FTDNA test base, and not one of them is a
Wilson. I haven't checked recently, but I think I have about two dozen 25/25
matches, again without a single surname match. I have no 37/37 matches,
which is an indicator of the power of the extra markers to discriminate
among haplotypes that look similar when evaluated on the basis of smaller
marker sets.

Hope this helps.

David Wilson
Wilson Surname Project Co-administrator



-----Original Message-----
From: Jane Gilbert [mailto:]
Sent: Saturday, March 05, 2005 10:10 AM
To:
Subject: [DNA] Newbie Project Admin Questions


Hi everyone,

I'm in the process of getting a Gilbert Y-DNA project up and running, and
still have a lot to learn. I have a few questions I was hoping someone
might be able to help me to get started in the right direction.

1. I have the project set up with FamilyTreeDNA, but am I right in
assuming that people could test with other labs if they wanted, and we could
still compare results? I read somewhere about conversions that need to be
done between labs, but I don't remember the details.

2. I know about the sites ysearch.org and ybase.org where databases of
haplotypes are being built. Are there any others? I assume it's a good
idea to encourage participants to submit to all of them.

3. When the first 12 markers came in on my line's submission, ysearch.org
turned up 121 exact matches. Am I correct in assuming I should very
strongly encourage at least the 25 marker test as it seems the 12 marker
might only serve to disprove a relationship?

4. This question is a little more out there, but I'll go ahead and ask. As
soon as all 25 markers came in on our first submission, I entered them in
ysearch.org. When I did a search expecting nothing since we were the first
Gilbert line to contribute that I knew of, ysearch reported a 24/25 match
with another surname submission! I think I understand the implications of
this from MRCA probability standpoint, but does this kind of thing happen
often? The last thing in the world I expected was such a close match with
another surname!

Thanks for any feedback.

Jane


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