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Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2008-05 > 1211920615


From: "William Hurst" <>
Subject: Re: [DNA] Is there an interest in ordering individual mtDNAcodingregion SNPs?
Date: Tue, 27 May 2008 16:36:55 -0400
In-Reply-To: <8CA8E4A8741DDC4-980-2311@webmail-ne04.sysops.aol.com>


Hi Kathy,

I've probably looked at and compared more sets of coding-region results than
most of those on this list. Close to 400 K results. Maybe you have some use
for H, but I don't see the slightest value in picking individual SNPs for K.
Some of our K Project members have ordered the HVR1toMega test knowing only
the three basic HVR1 mutations. How would they pick among about 15,000 CR
SNPs? Even if their HVR results are predictive of their subclade, I still
don't like the idea. I had one today where the HVR results were 100%
predictive of their subclade - until today, when the person turned out to be
in a sister subclade. If they had ordered three SNPS to prove the
prediction, they would have wasted their money and had to start all over.
Also, one of the main benefits of FGS tests is finding genographical
connections out on the twigs of the K tree - sometimes by matching SNPs
which don't even appear on MitoMap or mtDB. Technically, I guess they were
not even considered SNPs until the first one was found.

After FTDNA offered the H-Refine or subclade test, I ordered it for one of
my cousins. Result: H1. Fine. Haplogroup H is wide: H1 to H21 or something.
K is deep: K1, K2, that's it. But I'm already going two steps beyond, for
example, K1a4a1. To test for all the now-known levels would probably cost
more than the FGS test. As a result, FTDNA decided not to offer subclade
tests for any other haplogroup.

Also, remember that it takes 20 CR mutations to get from the CRS to K. We
could subclades based on back mutations on one of those.

Nice idea, but no thanks.

Bill Hurst

>I would like to hear from the list to see if anyone thinks individual SNP
>testing should be offered to people who want to pick and choose their
>coding region mitochondrial SNPs. These types of tests are offered to
>people ordering Y-DNA tests and there have been requests from individuals
>to order SNPs for their mtDNA coding region markers as well.
>
>I was not really thinking about it until I saw how reasonable the price was
>for individual Y-DNA tests at EA and FTDNA. We are not really supposed to
>talk about prices, but obviously price is what is keeping some people from
>ordering the FGS (full genomic sequence) and it is definitely holding back
>progress in genetic genealogy and population genetics. I am curious to know
>what people would be willing to pay for a SNP, or group of SNPs and which
>one(s) you would order if you had the opportunity and why. Keep in mind
>that there are many SNPs that are the same between different haplogroups so
>the accuracy level is not as high as ordering the FGS to determine your
>mtDNA subclade.
>
>Even if you would never want to order another mtDNA test for as long as you
>live, that is useful information (unless you already know your entire
>sequence) if you tell us why.
>
>Sometimes I want to just order a SNP for a potential member of the H2
>project for research purposes to see if an HVR1 haplotype that is
>intermediate between two types is associated with a particular coding
>region SNP but I don't want to pay full price for the FGS either.
>
>?
>
>?Kathy J.


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