There are two distinct types of DNA databases that you can use to trace your ancestry:  The User Database, and The Indigenous Database.

1) The User Database - This public participation database allows you to compare your ancestral DNA markers to other Users from around the world to search for long lost relatives and make connections to people who share your ancestry.

2) The Indigenous DNA Database “DNA Clans” - This forensic quality database allows you to compare your ancestral DNA markers to indigenous DNA from over 148 populations from around the world to find out which ethnic groups and geographic regions match yours at the highest frequency. 

Let’s discuss the difference between the User database and the Indigenous DNA database.  The User database allows you to compare your DNA to other actual Users in the system and allows you to find matches to people from around the world.  The User database is really useful for people looking to expand their family tree and to find other people who share a common ancestry.  However, the User database is not a great way to find out about your ethnicity because the people in the database usually are not “indigenous” populations.  Indigenous people are peoples who are native to a certain part of the world and whose ancestors have lived in the same region many generations.  When a User joins Genebase, he/she is often from Canada or the US and not from their native country.  Even though Users are asked to indicate their native country of origin if known, the information provided by the User might not be reliable. 

For this reason, forensic laboratories rely soley on indigenous DNA when determining an individual’s ethnic origin.  Indigenous DNA is collected by research laboratories from around the world who focus on testing the world’s last remaining indigenous populations by sampling the DNA from native populations.  With advances in transportation, increasing global migrations and increased rates of immigration and emmigration, indigenous populations are rapidly disappearing in the 21st century.  Within the next few decades, it is likely that the last remaining indigenous populations will be gone forever. 

Because of this, research groups from around the world have been rushing to collect DNA samples from indigenous populations from around the world to document the DNA types which are characteristic of populations from different regions of the world.  Today, the DNA from tens of thousands of indigenous people have been sampled.  The indigenous DNA database at Genebase contains the DNA of tens of thousands of indigenous people from over 148 ethnic groups from around the world.  This forensic quality database allows people to compare their DNA to indigenous populations to find the closest matches and gain insight into the region of the world that most closely matches their genetic type. 

This is a brief introduction to ancestral DNA databases.  In Part II, we will go into detail about how the indigenous DNA database works and how to interpret the results.  Click here to view Part II.

This blog is a continuation of DNA Clans Part I.  Click Here to View Part I.

The Indigenous DNA database allows you to match your Y-DNA to a global panel of ethnic groups.  Since your Y-DNA is inherited along your paternal lineage, this database allows you to trace the ancestry of your paternal line (father’s, father’s, father’s…. line).

Let’s go over how to use the indigenous Y-DNA database.

Step 1:  After logging in to your control panel, click “DNA Clans”.

Step 2:  From the DNA Clans main page, click “Proceed”, then click “Begin Analysis”.

Step 3:  A list of all of the people in your family tree that have been tested will appear.  Next to the name of each individual, the ancestral line which will be uncovered is shown.  Select the line that you would like to trace and click “Proceed”. 

Step 4:  The total number of Y-DNA markers that you have tested will appear.  Select the number of markers that you want to use for comparison. 

For Keeners:  Why is this necessary?  The indigenous DNA database contains indigenous DNA marker data from many different research labs around the world.  The markers tested by different research labs are often not exactly the same markers i.e. the tested markers may not overlap.  Furthermore, the total number of markers which are tested by each research lab is often different:  some laboratories may test more markers, and others may test less.  The inconsistency in data collection between different research labs from around the world makes it difficult for you to compare your DNA to the results of multiple research groups at the same time.  While you may have tested 44 markers, the indigenous studies may have examined less markers or different markers from the ones that you have tested.  For example, research Laboratory A might only test 12 markers for the indigenous samples that they collect while research Laboratory B might test 14 markers, however, only 7 out of the 14 markers from Laboratory A are the same as the markers tested by laboratory A.  In this hypothetical situation, the overlapping markers to be compared between the two labs must be 7 or less.  This is the reason why even if you have tested 44 markers, you would select only a portion of them for comparison to the indigenous DNA database.  The benefit of testing more markers (i.e. 44 markers instead of 20) is that the system will have a larger pool of DNA markers to choose from when doing comparisons, and as a result, you will be able to compare to more ethnic groups. 

Regardless of the number of markers that you have tested, we recommend starting your search with 8 markers.  You can always increase or decrease the number of markers depending on the results that you obtain from 8.  Remember, the less markers that you use for comparison, the weaker your results, but the more ethnic groups you will be able compare to.  When you increase the number of markers that you use for searching, less ethnic groups will qualify for comparison, but the results will be much stronger and more precise. 

Step 5:  Based on the markers that you have tested and how many of them you want to use for comparison, a list of different groups of qualifying ethnic populations will be generated.  Select the group that you would like to use for comparison and click “Run Analysis”. 

For keeners:  Interested in knowing a little more about the algorithm used by the system to generate this list?  This list is automatically generated based on a number of factors:  the number of markers that you would like to use for comparison, the types of markers that you have tested, and the number and types of markers from each individual research group in the entire indigenous DNA database.  The system scans each of the DNA markers that you have tested, compares them to the DNA markers from each of the different research groups in the database to find “overlapping markers”, and then determines the best sets of markers which overlap the greatest number of populations in the indigenous DNA database (ie. from all the markers that you have tested, the system selects the sets of markers which allows you to compare to the greatest number of populations). 

Step 6: The result of your search is displayed as a graph which indicates the closest match to your ancestry.  The RMI (relative match index) shows how closely you match each ethnic group or region.  Additional information about interpretation of these results can be found in the FAQ section of DNA Clans.

Please remember that the matches are based upon the most current data in the indigenous database today.  Researchers from around the world continue to sample the DNA from new indigenous groups.  As new data and populations become available, they will automatically be included in the indigenous DNA database.  As the sciences continues, your journey will continue, allowing you to dig deeper into your ancestral origins and obtain more and more precise matches.  Use of the indigenous DNA database is free, so check back often and become part of this exciting and ever evolving journey of research and discovery. 

*For those who are interested in using indigenous DNA tracking technology to trace their maternal ancestry, Genebase will soon be announcing the world’s first public access indigenous populations mtDNA database.  Watch for it in upcoming announcements!

What are the steps involved in participation?

1. Participants must have DNA markers obtained through DNA testing. Begin by obtaining a participation kit. Existing Genebase users should log into their control panel, click “DNA Ancestry Project”, then follow the instructions in the control panel to obtain a kit. Kits can also be ordered for friends and family members by clicking on “my markers” and then clicking “order test”.
2. The participation kit contains supplies for collecting a DNA sample from inside the mouth. The DNA sample is collected by rubbing two brushes inside the mouth against the cheek for 15 seconds. The proceedure is painless. After the sample is collected, the brushes are placed into specimen envelopes and sent to the laboratory for analysis.
3. Depending on the type of analysis, the turnaround time can range from 3 to 12 weeks. Once results are available, they are uploaded directly to the database and can be accessed through the user’s control panel. The user has control over the privacy settings of the markers. When the markers are set to “public”, the user can use them to search the database to look for matches and take part in DNA projects.

How it works:

The family tree section allows you to build a dynamic family tree using a Web 2.0 platform. The Web 2.0 platform has many advantages:

• Easy to share family tree with other living family members.
• Allows family members to collaboratively build onto the same tree.
• Instant communication and updates between living family members in the tree.
• Instant updates when the tree has been edited or changed.

Building your tree:

To access the family tree section, click “my family tree” on left side of page. This will bring you to the Pedigree View by default, with your own node as the “root” of the tree. The family tree can be displayed interchangeably in 1 of 3 ways:

1. Pedigree View
2. Family View
3. List View

The family tree is presented in “pedigree view” by default. By default, the user’s own node is chosen as the default root of the tree. Change the viewing method by clicking the other viewing choices at the top of the page.

Understanding the Pedigree View:

By default, the Family Tree section will display the Pedigree View. The Pedigree View displays a single node as the root of the tree and displays a set number of generations of ancestors from the root node.

Root Node - The root node is the node on the far left side of the page. The pedigree view will always display a set number of generations of ancestors from the root node.

Default root node - When viewing your family tree from your own account, your own node will always be presented as the default root of your family tree, regardless of who created the tree.

Number of generations displayed - By default, 4 generations are displayed at a time in the pedigree view. Using the generation selector at the top of the page, the user and choose to display from 2 to 6 generations at a time.

1. From the tree - Click on the “pedigree” link of any node in the tree to set that node as the root.
2. From the list - A list of all individuals in your family tree is listed in the left side of the page. Click on the “pedigree” link of anyone in the list to set that individual as the root of the tree.

Building the tree - Build the family tree by adding new nodes to the family tree. If a node is missing in the tree, it will indicate [Not Found], followed by the option to Add Father/Add Mother. Click on the add link to add an individual to that spot in the family tree. You can add parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents to the tree from the pedigree view by clicking “add mother” or “add father” link.

Editing existing nodes in the tree - To edit an existing node, click on the “family view” link for the node to be edited. All necessary edits can be accomplished from the family view (see below).

Understanding the Family View:

The family view displays one single family unit at a time. A family unit consists of one father, one mother, and all of their children. The Family View is the best place to build and edit the family tree.

Husband / Wife - By default, the root node will be displayed as either the Husband or the Wife of the family unit.

Add a spouse - If a spouse is missing, the family view will display the fields required to add the missing spouse to the family unit.

Adding additional spouses - If an individual has more than one spouse, additional spouses can be added by clicking “show all” link next to “spouses”, then click “add spouse” to add additional spouses.

Adding children - If there are no children in the family unit, the family view will automatically display the fields required to add a child. Once a child has been added, additional children can be added by clicking “add child” link in the Family View.

Linking existing nodes - If an individual exists in more than one place in the family tree, a single node can be linked to more than one place in the family tree using the “link existing node” link. Whenever a spouse or child is added to a family unit, you have the option to create a new node or to link an existing node in that position. To link an existing node, click “link existing node”, then enter the username or ID# of the node to be linked to that position of the family tree.

Adding parents - To add parents to the husband or wife of a family unit, click the “view parents” link of the husband or the wife. This will show the family view where the husband or wife are the children and their parents are the spouses. The parents can be added or edited in this view.

Correcting mistakes in the family tree - A mistake can be corrected by editing incorrect information in an existing node or by deleting the node from the tree.

How to edit a node - The information of a node can be edited by clicking the “edit” link for that node in the family view.

How to delete a node - If a node has been placed in the wrong place in the tree or is incorrect and needs to be removed, click “unlink node” in the family view. This will allow you to instantly remove the incorrect node. Please note that this will also remove the entire branch that is connected to the node. Once a node has been unlinked from your tree, it (and all nodes connected to it) can be found in the “unlinked nodes” list. To access the unlinked nodes list, click the appropriate icon at the top of the page. This list will contain all nodes which you have created which are no longer linked to your tree. You can choose to delete the nodes or to re-link them to the correct place in your tree.

How to add an existing node - To add an existing node or to merge another tree into your tree, click the “link existing node” feature to add an existing node to the correct place in your tree. Once the node has been added, all nodes which are linked to the node that you have added will also be brought into your family tree.

Understanding the List View:

The List View displays all of the nodes in your family tree in a list format. The list can be sorted (by name, by ID, by gender, by status), by clicking on the appropriate column at the top of the page.

The family tree tool has special features which allow you to work together with family members to trace the ancestry of multiple lines in your family tree using DNA. 

If you are male, you can test your own Y-DNA to trace your paternal line (that’s your father’s father’s father’s…. ancestral line), and you can test your own mtDNA to trace your maternal line (that’s your mother’s, mother’s, mother’s…. ancestral line). 

If you are female, you can test your own mtDNA to trace your maternal line, but females do not carry Y-DNA so if you want to trace your father’s line, you will need to test a male relative, such as a brother or male cousin on your father’s side of the family. 

The dilemma:  There are many lines in your family tree, but by testing yourself, you will only be able to uncover a maximum of 2 lines: your direct maternal and/or paternal lines.  What if you are interested in your father’s mother’s line, or your mother’s father’s mother’s line?  Even if you don’t carry the markers, other living members of your family might, and you can test them to uncover additional lines.  However, the genetics involved can get quite complex, so it’s often difficult to determine just who needs to be tested to trace a certain ancestor.

The solution:  The family tree tool has a built in calculator which helps you to determine how to trace multiple lines in your family tree.  As you build your family tree, the family tree tool automatically determines the genetic links between all individuals in the tree. 

How to use this tool:  Go to the family tree tool by clicking on the “family tree” link from the control panel.

Finding out which line you will uncover be testing yourself or another family member:  Identify the individual that you are considering testing (it can be yourself or any other family member). 

Click on the “ancestry” link.  A pop-up window will appear showing you who the most distant known ancestors are.  These are the ancestral lines that you will uncover by testing this individual. 

Tracing the ancestry of a particular ancestor:  To trace the ancestry of any ancestor in your family tree, find the ancestor of interest in your tree, then click “ancestry”. 

A pop-up window will appear.  If this line can be traced, you will see a green check box.  If this line cannot be traced, you will see a red “x”. 

To trace this line, click “investigate this line”.  All of the living people in your family tree who carry the genetic markers required to trace the ancestry of this line will be listed. 

Using this tool, you can find out what types of information you will retrieve by testing each member of your family.  This tool will allow you to work together with family members to uncover many ancestral lines in your family tree, and also helps you to save money by letting you known which individuals carry the same marker types, because in such situation, testing only one family member will be enough to provide the answer.

What is the DNA Ancestry Project?

The DNA Ancestry Project is a online database built on a Web 2.0 platform which connects genealogists from around the world and facilitates genetic genealogy research through user to user connections and user to laboratory data source connections.

Once participants obtain their ancestral markers through Genebase, participation in many of the search and analysis features of the project is free. The Project aims to connect people with new developments in Genetic Genealogy by providing a direct link from users to scientific studies. As new studies and data become available, the data is available for searching and comparison by project members. Finding a match in the scientific databases can help users to make new discoveries and family connections across many generations.

The database contains “deep ancestry” data and studies (for tracing lineage back tens of thousands of years) as well as “family genealogy” data (for recent family studies tracing lines over the past few hundred years).

The database contains user data from around the world and continues to grow as membership grows. The family tree feature automatically links various lineages together to facilitate collaborative genetic genealogy studies between different family members to uncover the roots of different lines of the family tree. The database accepts user data which allows comparisons between active users in the project, as well as data from scientific studies which allows users to compare their data to real scientific studies.

The project contains the following database types:

• Y-DNA STR database - For tracing surnames and ancestry on the paternal line.
• Y-DNA SNP database - For tracing deep ancestry on the paternal line.
• mtDNA mutation/SNP database - For tracing ancestry on the maternal line.
• mtDNA sequence - For full mtDNA analysis and comparisons.

User-to-User Comparisons

The database facilitates the comparison of data between active users in the system to allow users to link up to other users and the system to look for matches, discover connections and look for geographical or ethnic correlations.

User to Scientific Studies Analysis

This feature allows users to connect their data to findings from the latest scientific studies and research data. As new findings emerge from various fields of study, the database will facilitate the interaction of users with the findings of the study so that users can see how the studies can shed light on their own data.

Who can join?

Anyone who has had their ancestral markers tested at Genebase will automatically become part of the DNA Ancestry Project.

History of the DNA Ancestry Project

1998 - Traditional DNA testing methods
Genetrack Biolabs processed Y-DNA and mtDNA testing and released results documents directly to clients.

October 2005 - Genebase Database Launched
Clients required a method to compare their DNA results with other clients. The first version of Genebase was launched in 2005 based on a Web 2.0 platform to allow DNA testing recipients to interact with each other and to compare DNA data. This version of Genebase only allows Y-DNA STR data and does not store Y-DNA SNP or mtDNA data.

August 2006 - Genebase 2.0 version developed
The second version of Genebase was developed to accomodate Y-DNA SNPs, and mtDNA data. The official launch of version 2.0 was held back pending completion of the GEDCOM feature.

May 2007 - Genebase 2.0 version launched
The newest version of Genebase is GEDCOM compatible and the database accomodates Y-DNA and mtDNA data, SNPs and full sequences.

What is it?

The DNA Ancestry Project Database contains a dynmic collection of genetic genealogy information. The database can be divided into four types.

Y-DNA STR Database

The Y-DNA STR Database was the first database type available on Genebase. The STR database stores the allele values of over 75 genetic loci obtained through Y-DNA STR Testing. This database is ideal for surname research and tracing ancestry on the paternal line. It is also useful for individuals searching for exact or close matches to other males who are descendents of the same paternal line.

Y-DNA SNP Database

The Y-DNA SNP database stores SNP markers and is intended for users who are interested in researching their deep ancestry and determining their haplogroup. The haplogroup can be predicted with the STR test, but the only way to confirm a haplogroup prediction is with SNP analysis.

mtDNA Mutation / SNP Database

The mtDNA mutation/SNP database records the markers in the mtDNA (a mutation/marker represents a region of the mtDNA which is different from the Cambridge Reference Sequence, CRS).

mtDNA Sequence Database

The entire length of the DNA tested is stored and can be downloaded and compared to other sequences.

The Y-DNA SNP Haplogroup Backbone Test Panel contains 19 SNP markers throughout the Y-DNA.  These 19 SNP markers are the defining markers for an individual’s Y-DNA haplogroup.  The chart below lists the 19 markers that are included in this panel, and the haplogroups that they define.

The diagram below is a phylogenetic tree illustrating how all people living today share a common paternal ancestor, the “Y-Chromosomal Adam”.  The diagram also shows where each Y-DNA SNP marker appears in the tree.  Click here to download and print a detailed copy of the Y-DNA Haplogroup Map.