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Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2005-12 > 1134770044


From: "Roberta J. Estes" <>
Subject: RE: [DNA] RE: Are you missing the Geno boat?
Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2005 16:54:04 -0500
In-Reply-To: <IGEOKAGLHNEKPCKPADIGIEBKLAAA.bbailey.lowedna@baileyconnection.com>


I have always wondered about the 12 marker tests through the society and how
they would ever be enough. I asked some questions about this at the
conference and did not receive satisfactory answers - tap dancing I would
say, although I don't know why they would hesitate to answer our questions.

Here is what I think is happening.

I believe the 12 marker tests that are being done now commercially - the $99
kits - are strictly to raise funds for the aboriginal part of the project.
How could it be anything else, with only 12 markers and no ancestral
information? I'm not complaining, as we surname admins stand to benefit,
but for human population research, 12 markers just doesn't cut the mustard
anymore - and they knew then when they began the project.

I asked at the conference about what kind of testing was being done on the
DNA being collected through the project, but not through the public
participation segment. The answers I got were that they'd have to check
with Spencer, but of course that never happened. Given that they are taking
blood, I would bet that they are going to do far more analysis on the DNA of
those folks than 12 markers or the HVR1 mtdna. Also given Spencer's comment
on the Today Show stating that they would be looking for more information, I
would take that to mean autosomal markers as well. I hope they have
permission to perform whatever testing they can today, plus whatever
tomorrow's technology will bring.

While I am thrilled that this project exists, and that we will receive more
participants through it, I am also very disappointed to date that we have
received very limited information from the project.

Roberta Estes

-----Original Message-----
From: Lowe DNA [mailto:]
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 4:32 PM
To:
Subject: RE: [DNA] RE: Are you missing the Geno boat?

Herb...Yeb

"....WE have about 50 participants and it takes all 37 to know who you are
kin " to in our little group.
What bothers me is we get all the e-mails from 12 marker people who think
they are kin.....
I personally see the Genographic Project as a marketing tool....."

You are correct...and now we are finding out that 12 is not enough even for
Haplogroup determination.

Many of the folks who write in about 12 markers are newbies who are just
getting their feet wet with this new genealogical tool and we shall get many
more of these unless the DNA testing companies delete this test from their
product line in favor of 25, 37, or now the FTDNA 37 + the EA 18.

And that is a unique observation about the GENOGRAPHIC project. It might as
well be a clandestine CIA project as we have not heard from Wells or his
colleagues. Would not if be a shame to perform a 100,000 NRY STR tests at
the 12 marker level and find out that that was not enough to achieve the
goals that were set forth....?

Bill


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