A
Administrator - Also known
as a 'Project Administrator', 'Group Project
Administrator', 'Project Manager', 'Coordinator' and
'Co-Coordinator'. A
volunteer who establishes a DNA study with one or multiple
commercial DNA testing companies.
Admixture DNA - The
non-gender chromosomes that mix or recombine. Also known as
autosomal DNA.
Allele - (pronounced UH-leel) -
Used in genetic genealogy in reference to the scientific
result for a marker.
Ancestral haplotype - The
haplotype of a MRCA
deduced by comparing descendants' haplotypes and eliminating mutations. A minimum of three
lines, as distantly related as possible, is recommended for
deducing the ancestral haplotype.
Ancestral state - Refers
to the state of a SNP that has
mutated and is
shared by the most people. Example: A negative result on a SNP means it is ancestral, a
positive result means it is derived.
atDNA - Acronym for Autosomal
DNA.
Autosomal DNA -
The DNA of non-sex-determining chromosomes that
mix or recombine. Also known as
admixture DNA.
Anthrogenealogy - A term
coined by Family Tree DNA combining the words 'anthro' and
'genealogy' in reference to utilizing DNA to trace one's heritage
far beyond recorded documentation.
B
Bikini haplotypes
- Minimal haplotype data, i.e.: six markers
C
Coalescence age -
The merging of genetic lineages backwards in time to the most
recent common ancestor (MRCA)
CODIS - Acronym for Combined
DNA Index System - The
FBI's autosomal DNA database for profiles
of criminal
offenders.
http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/codis/index1.htm
Convergence - When a haplotype
mutates enough to appear to be of another haplogroup
than it actually is. The only way to confirm the correct
haplogroup designation is through SNP
confirmation.
CRS - Acronym for Cambridge
Reference Sequence. The first
mitochondrial DNA to be fully sequenced at Cambridge
University in 1981. The anonymous donor of the CRS was
haplogroup 'H'. Mitochondrial results are determined based
upon where the results differ from the CRS.
D
Derived state - Refers to
the state of a SNP that has mutated, usually
in one man, from the ancestral state
and created a new haplogroup or sub-clade
of a haplogroup. A positive SNP result is derived, a
negative SNP result is ancestral.
DNAF - Acronym for DNA-Fingerprint
- a commercial DNA testing company. (Acquired by Family Tree DNA
in 2006).
DNAH -
Acronym for DNA Heritage - a
commercial DNA testing company.
DNA-NEWBIE - A DNA-Newbie
is someone who is new to the field of genetic genealogy.
It is also the name of a Yahoo mailing list forum sponsored by
the International Society of Genetic Genealogy. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DNA-NEWBIE/
DYS - Acronym for DNA
Y-chromosome Segment - The assigned
number of a marker on a segment of the Y-chromosome. Example:
DYS# 393
E
EA - Acronym for EthnoAncestry
- a commercial DNA testing company.
F
FGS -
Acronym for Full Genomic Sequence
- Usually used in referring to a full mitochondrial
sequence test comprising all 16,569 base pairs.
FST - Acronym for Full
Sequence Test - Again, usually used
in referring to a full sequence mitochondrial test. See FGS.
FTDNA
- Acronym for Family Tree DNA
- a commercial DNA testing company.
FTDNATiP - Acronym for Family
Tree DNA Time Predictor
- A program created to calculate the time to the MRCA using
mutation rates specific to each marker.
G
GAP - Acronym for the Group
Administrator Page - This is a
webpage in which a DNA Project Administrator utilizes functions
such as creating a public website, generating a FTDNATiP report,
etc. to assist project participants in coordinating
results.
GEDCOM - Acronym for Genealogical
Data Communications - A plain text
program created for exchanging genealogical data
between different genealogical programs. Family Tree DNA's
'My FTDNA' page, Y-Search and Mitosearch all contain a feature
to upload a GEDCOM for pedigree comparisons to matches.
Genetic Genealogy - The
latest tool for genealogists utilizing DNA to aid genealogical
research.
Genographic Project -
(pronounced GENE-o-graphic) - A
five-year scientific genetics project launched in 2005 to study
and map human migratory patterns. Along with testing
indigenous populations, the project offers a 12-marker
Y-chromosome or HVR1 mtDNA test for public participation with a
portion of the proceeds benefiting the indigenous
communities. The project is sponsored by National
Geographic, IBM and the Waitt Foundation. Genographic
participants have the option to join Family Tree DNA's database
once their DNA results are in.
H
Haplogroup - A group of
similar haplotypes that share a common ancestor with a SNP
mutation. Because a haplogroup consists of similar
haplotypes, this is what makes it possible to predict a
haplogroup. A SNP
test confirms a haplogroup. Haplogroups are assigned
letters of the alphabet, and refinements consist of additional
number and letter combinations, Example: R1b1. Y-chromosome and mitochondrial DNA haplogroups have different
haplogroup designations. Haplogroups pertain to your deep
ancestral origins dating back thousands of years.
Haplotype - The term for
the set of numbers that consists of your Y-chromosome or
mitochondrial DNA results. Haplotypes are also known as
signatures.
HIR
- Acronym for Half
Identical
Region - Coined by
Leon Kull, HIR means that (at least) half of your genotype matches
(at least) half of another person's genotype. Usually used
in reference to the blue segments of matching DNA on 23andMe's
Family Inheritance diagram.
HVR - Acronym for Hyper
Variable Region - The sections of
non-coding mitochondrial DNA that are used for genealogical
DNA testing.
I
IBD - Acronym
for Identical
by Descent
- The concept that the same segment was inherited by two
people through a common ancestor.
ISOGG - Acronym for the International
Society of Genetic Genealogy, a free society
founded in 2005 for the promotion and education of genetic
genealogy.
J
Junk DNA - Slang term
usually used in referring to the non-coding region of DNA on the
Y-chromosome. For more about: http://www.psrast.org/junkdna.htm
JoGG - The Journal
of Genetic Genealogy -
An online journal published quarterly with articles and features
pertaining to genetic genealogy and
anthrogenealogy.
http://www.jogg.info/
M
MSY -
Acronym for Male
Specific
Y - See:
NRY
Marker -
A specific place on a chromosome with two or more forms,
called alleles, the
inheritance of which can be followed from one generation to the
next. In genetic genealogy,
this refers to non-coding
Y-chromosome
DNA. Numbers designate the individual DNA segments. Example: 393=13. This means at
marker #393, your allele value is 13.
Mitochondrial
DNA - Energy releasing organelles located in the
cytoplasm of cells, which contain their own DNA. Mitochondrial DNA is passed from
mother to child, but only females continue to pass on their
maternal mitochondria to their children.
Mitosearch - A free public
database sponsored by Family Tree DNA where mitochondrial DNA
results from any testing facility may be uploaded and compared.
http://www.mitosearch.org/
MRCA - Acronym for Most
Recent Common Ancestor.
The most recent ancestor from which a group of individuals share
descent from.
mtDNA - Acronym for
mitochondrial DNA.
Mutation - A
change in the DNA that occurs spontaneously. Mutation is a scientific term that often connotes a
negative connotation as a result of 1950's 'B' movies, but in
genetic genealogy, mutations are utilized for distinguishing
different ancestral lines. Mutations can also occur due to
environmental factors, such as exposure to radiation.
N
Non-coding
DNA - Also referred to as 'junk DNA,'
non-coding DNA is not part of an active gene that contains a
code for making a protein. Recent evidence shows that at
least some non-coding DNA is involved in biological processes
such as regulation of gene expression and chemical signaling
among cells. All testing for genealogical purposes is done
on non-coding DNA, which makes up nearly 98% of human DNA
NRY - Acronym
for Non-Recombining
Y - The section of
the Y-chromosome that is passed from father to son on down the
paternal line. While it does not recombine, it does have
mutations over time.
Nuclear DNA - DNA of
chromosomes found in
the nucleus of the cell.
Null - A null is a
value of zero on a marker. Nulls can occur due to missing
genetic material on a marker, or a SNP can sometimes cause a
null result. Several YSTR markers have been identified in
certain families to have null results: 439,
448
O
OA
- Acronym for Oxford Ancestors
- a commercial DNA testing company.
Organelle
- A cell structure with specialized functions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organelle
P
Palindrome - A
double-stranded DNA segment in which the sequence of one strand
is in the reverse order to the other strand. Example:
DYS464X where a family line in R1b1c has cccc or ccgg instead of
the usual cccg pattern.
Phylo-tree - Shortened term for
Phylogenetic Tree - Most often used
in reference to the available online diagrams connecting all
Y-chromosome haplogroups. This term is also applied to DNA
project diagrams created by Project Administrators utilizing
specialized software.
Proxy - Usually used in
reference to the contact person for a DNA test. Example:
A female who has tested a male relative.
R
RAO - Acronym for Recent
Ancestral Origins (formerly known as
REO - Recent Ethnic Origins)
The number of matches you have in Family Tree DNA's database as
specified by country or region. To access the RAO, Family
Tree DNA clients need to click the tab on their "My FTDNA"
page.
recLOH
- Acronym for Recombinant Loss of
Heterozygosity - When a section of DNA on a marker is missing, that marker is
sometimes repaired by another marker filling in the missing DNA
with its own material. This is referred to as a "recLOH
event" and is usually observed with multi-copy markers like
385a and 385b, and is also common in the 464 set. The
recLOH event causes the allele values to match 11-11 instead of
the more common, 11-14 that you see in R1b. For
more about: Recombinational
Loss of Heterozygosity (recLOH)
RG
- Acronym for Relative Genetics
- a commercial DNA testing company. (Acquired by Ancestry.com/The
Generations Network in Summer 2007).
S
SMGF - Acronym for Sorensen
Molecular Genealogy Foundation.
Established by James Sorensen as a scientific genealogical DNA
database, participants submit a DNA sample along with a four
generation pedigree chart. While participation is free,
SMGF does not send participants their results. However,
many participants are able to "find" themselves in the
online results database by matching up their pedigrees. Currently, only
Y-chromosome
results appear in the database, and the current wait time for
results to appear is between nine months to over two years.
http://www.smgf.org
SNP - (pronounced
SNIP) - Acronym for Single Nucleotide
Polymorphism. A SNP test confirms your haplogroup
by determining if a SNP has mutated from
its derived or ancestral state. A
SNP is usually found on a different area of the Y-chromosome
than where the YSTR markers are. Sometimes, a SNP may
cause a null result on a marker.
STR - Acronym for Short
Tandem Repeat - See: YSTR
Sub-clade - Referring to a
"branch" farther down the phylogenetic
tree. Example: H3 -> '3' is a sub-clade of
mitochondrial haplogroup 'H'. R1b -> '1b' is a sub-clade
of Y-chromosome haplogroup 'R'. Sub-clade testing is also
referred to as deep clade testing.
T
TG
- Acronym for Trace Genetics
- a commercial DNA testing company.
Triangulation
- A method of determining the DNA haplotype
of an ancestor using the DNA results of direct line descendants.
W
Whit's Predictor - The
commonly applied nickname to the "Y-Haplogroup
Predictor" created by Whit Athey. Enter Y-chromosome
markers into the predictor and it will display percentages for
matches to various haplogroups.
https://home.comcast.net/~hapest5/index.html
X
X-chromosome - The female
sex chromosome, if a child receives one X from the father and
one X from the mother, the child's gender is female.
Y
Y-chromosome - The male
sex chromosome. In other words, only males have a
Y-chromosome, which they receive from their father, who received
it from his father, and so on. This transmission of the
Y-chromosome down the male line is why it is useful for surname
testing to determine if two males share a common ancestor.
Y-Base - A free public
database sponsored by DNA Heritage where Y-chromosome DNA
results from any testing facility may be uploaded and compared.
http://www.ybase.org/
Y-Search - A free public
database sponsored by Family Tree DNA where Y-chromosome DNA
results from any testing facility may be uploaded and
compared.
http://www.ysearch.org/
YSTR - Acronym for Y-chromosome
Short Tandem Repeat. The number of
times the sequence of bases repeat that determines the value of the
marker. Example: Thirteen repeats of the same bases
equals a value
of '13'. |
