Comments for The Genetic Genealogist

Comment on Is Genetic Genealogy A Scam? by Would DNA testing be legitimate proof of jewish heritage when attempting to immigrate to Israel?

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:54:39 +0000

[...] using immigration laws if you'd like to immigrate. Good luck by: Lupines on: 10th February 09 I have yet to get a clear answer on what defines a jew….especially when in concerns immigration to…ht it is via Jewish mother or conversion via Orthodox. That is the only mode of entry into Israel as [...]

Comment on Archives by need to know about dna and haplogroups for genealogy?

need to know about dna and haplogroups for genealogy? — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:48:08 +0000

[...] Hope this helps. Complicated but interesting subject. by: Mike_in_Minneapolis on: 24th August 07 ok these numbers are killing me and there isnt a whole lot of info out there about specific haplogro…i already know about the iceman. i mean is there any info out there that would go into detail about [...]

Comment on Autosomal Genetic Testing by How many of your ancestors can DNA genetic testing find?

How many of your ancestors can DNA genetic testing find? — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:54:47 +0000

[...] go. If you really need to know your nationalities, hire a geneticist. by: cdc on: 11th February 09 Is it only mtDNA and Y-Chromosome testing that helps? Can non-mtDNA/Y-Chromosome find nationalities …then you can find out a lot of information. If you don't, then you are limited to as far you can go [...]

Comment on The Genetic Genealogy Timeline by ian Moran

ian Moran — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 07:37:09 +0000

I am enjoying the challenge with my wife to do the research.

Comment on The Genetic Genealogy Timeline by ian Moran

ian Moran — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 07:34:14 +0000

Wish me luck. I am (I need) starting my journey today.

Comment on Using Genome-Wide SNP Scans to Explore Your Genetic Heritage by Admixture and Blaine Bettinger | Our 2 SNPs…®

Admixture and Blaine Bettinger | Our 2 SNPs…® — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:35:26 +0000

[...] when I started working with Blaine’s data was to validate the information found in his 23andMe Ancestry Painting — a karyotype illustration with haplotypes colored to indicate continental origin. We [...]

Comment on My Genome Online – A Challenge To You by Admixture and Blaine Bettinger | Our 2 SNPs…®

Admixture and Blaine Bettinger | Our 2 SNPs…® — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:33:02 +0000

[...] for advancing personal and family history research. I first learned about Blaine last May when he announced that he was committing his genomic data to the public domain and challenged any interested parties [...]

Comment on Does DNA Link 1991 Killing to Colonial-Era Family? by Ponto

Ponto — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:55:18 +0000

Yes, I have to agree with the fact that genealogists are the most frequent abusers of other peoples’ records including dna results. I have done the same with my Maltese ancestors by using the results of baptism, marriages, funerals from the Adami Collection. I have often thought how these ancestors would have felt with some person (me) poking around their records just because of some minor ancestor shared with them. I also think solving serious crime is more important than any individuals concern about privacy. The unlawful killing of another person is a serious crime.

Recently I had my STR results, kit number and surname written about on dna forums. It was some bull about the mythology of some ethnic group’s creation stories, nothing based on science, the dna itself or my specific results. I was momentarily incensed. I left my surname group at FTDNA upsetting the Administrator as I am the closest match to her paternal line. I deleted my Ysearch account. I have reversed these things but I intend to leave FTDNA permanently, have them totally delete my account by the end of 2012. Using surname projects and STR results for silly racist ideas is definitely beyond the pale. I will eventually delete my 23andMe account this year or the next. I think dna testing has had its day in the sun.

Comment on Are you immune to HIV and smallpox? by al

al — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:20:34 +0000

the polio vaccines were contaminated with a monkey virus sv-40. being i got the shots in 58-59 and also the oral sabin’s which were likely contaminated ,i checked in with the tech geneticist at stanford univ med school .they confirmed that sv-40 could change into siv or hiv . i still test hiv neg at 59 y old . i also had a small pox shot as a kid but bear no scar . next i had the test done for ccr5 delta 32 mutation and it said negative for the mutation . i don’t quite understand whats up here . i did have nonhodgkins lymphoma . this problem arose at about age 17,never being much bothered by it ,i didn’t finally have to have this left axillary node out until 1995 . it was only then confirmed low stage nhl by biopsy . any insights would be appreciated .

Comment on Does DNA Link 1991 Killing to Colonial-Era Family? by Neil

Neil — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:26:58 +0000

@6 – not so.

[a] HLA types are the names given to different haplotypes of the various genes in the HLA region. These are not easily determined by SNP typing, because the genes are too polymorphic – see e.g. http://www.ebi.ac.uk/imgt/hla/

[b] there are however several attempts ongoing to impute HLA types from SNPs on common GWAS chips – see e.g. https://oxfordhla.well.ox.ac.uk/hla/

[c] but, like the case at hand, these only really allow statistical conclusions, not ones that can be applied with confidence to a specific individual.