A: DNA Clans is an exclusive genetic ancestry analysis service which measures your precise genetic connections to indigenous ethnic groups from around the world. Your unique genetic markers will be matched against an extensive global scientific panel of ethnic groups. The results of the analysis will rank the region of the world where your specific DNA ancestral markers are most frequent and represent the area of the world that your ancestors have left the strongest traces of your unique genetic fingerprint.

A: DNA Clans is a proprietary analysis service which allows you to discover your ancestry through direct measurements of your unique genetic profile against an extensive scientific panel of indigenous ethnic marker types from around the world. This is a special patent pending matching system which is not available anywhere else. DNA Clans can be used to complement other types of DNA ancestral systems such as haplogroup determination.

A: For a limited time, individuals who have had their DNA markers tested through the DNA Ancestry Project can receive complimentary use of the DNA Clans basic panel service at no charge. If you already have DNA markers from a previous DNA test elsewhere, you can order an Analysis Only for DNA Clans without the need for further DNA testing. To place an order for Analysis Only, fax your DNA markers to 1-888-655-8877 along with your email or fax # and an order form for participation and analysis will be sent to you.

A: Currently DNA Clans only accepts Y-DNA STR markers.

A: DNA Clans identifies ethnic groups and geographical regions where an individuals' ancestral marker type is most frequent. Unlike haplogroup testing which traces deep ancestral ties, DNA Clans can allow an individual to identify individual ethnic groups and receive more precise geographical regions to give a more detailed view of ancestry based upon actual indigenous populations and global communities as they exist today.

A: The Y-STR ancestral analysis system takes place in several steps. The first step is to determine the best "minimum haplotype" for searching. Each individual may have a unique set of markers tested and not everyone will necessarily have tested the same genetic markers. Likewise, each indigenous study in our comprehensive population database is based on the analysis of a particular set of markers and not every scientific study will necessarily have tested the same set of markers. Thus, it is important to calculate the best set of markers to use for the analysis based on which markers you have tested versus the markers in the database. The best set of markers is called the "minimum haplotype" and represents the unique set of markers that have been tested in common between yourself and the various indigenous groups in the population database. You will have the ability to select the number of markers that you wish to compare "minimum haplotype". For example, if you have tested 44 of your markers but want to choose "5" for comparison, the DNA Clans program will use a proprietary method to calculate and suggest to you which 5 of your markers will analyze the largest number of population sets in the database and generate the most comprehensive results. The top sets of minimal haplotypes will be presented to you and the number of populations that each set will analyze will also be displayed.

The larger the number of markers that you use for searching, the more precise the results. For example, results obtained by selecting 12 markers for comparison will be much more precise than results obtained when analyzing using only 5 markers. However, as the number of markers increases, the number of tribes which share the same set of markers in the minimum haplotype will decrease and as a result, you will end up searching a smaller number of populations.

We recommend starting at a relatively low number such as "6" for your first few searches and then gradually increase the number to refine your search. You will find that at very high numbers, no populations will be available for searching because most research data to date for indigenous populations have focused on 20 or less markers and even less overlapping markers between populations. If you have tested on 20 markers and finding that there are very few overlaps between your markers and those in the database, we would recommend upgrading to the 44 marker test to increase the number of populations that you can search.

A: DNA Clans will continually expand the population database to make it as comprehensive as possible. Updates to the database will be made whenever new scientific data becomes available and reflects the latest scientific knowledge in this field. If there is a particular population that you cannot find in our database, please send us a suggestion by submitting a ticket. As more ancestral data becomes available, we will automatically include them in our database. If you see additional populations included in the future that pertain to your particular ancestry, you can simply order an upgrade for analysis to take advantage of the new data, you will not need further DNA testing to compare to upgrades.

A: After selecting the number of markers that you would like to use for ancestral analysis, the program will compare your markers to all of the markers in the various populations in the database and determine the best combinations of markers to use for analysis. Next to each set of markers, you will be able to see the number of populations in the database that will be searched for that set. To view the details of the populations, click on the population number and a detailed list of the populations as well as the sample size of each population will be displayed. To continue with the analysis, click "run analysis".

A: The top matches for your analysis shows where your unique DNA profile is found at highest frequency. The top matching ethnic group indicates that your unique DNA profile is most commonly shared with individuals from that group and further indicates that your genetic ancestors have the most descendents in that region. For example, if your DNA is matching at highest frequency with populations from Italy, it does not necessarily mean that your ancestors are from Italy, but it does indicate that other individuals who share your genetic profile are present at the highest frequency in Italy and furthermore indicates that you and individuals from Italy are most likely to share a common ancestry.

A: During an ancestral analysis, a panel of STR markers in the Y-Chromosome are analyzed and compared to a diverse population set. The number of shared genes are analyzed and a Relative Match Index (RMI) is calculated. The RMI is a measure of how closely your genetic profile matches those of the given population group and shows how you match that group as compared to all other populations in the world. For example, a RMI of 100 means that you are 100 times more likely to belong to that population set as compared to the rest of the populations. A match of 200 means that you are 200 times more likely to belong to that population than all the other populations. To determine how closely you match one population versus another, take of the ratio of the two populations. For example, if you are matching Switzerland at a value of 89, it means that you are 89 times more likely to have originated from Switzerland than from other parts of the world. To determine how much more likely you have originated from one population set than other, divide the RMI for the two populations. For example, if you are matching Switzerland at an RMI of 89 and Italy at a RMI of 52, divide 89/52 = 1.7. That means that you are 1.7 times more likely to have originated from Switzerland than from Italy. The greater the difference, the more you are able to differentiate between two population sets. Generally, increasing the number of markers analyzed will increase the RMI value and give more precise results.

A: Appendix 4 of the results report will indicate the raw data.

A: All males carry Y-DNA which is inherited from their father and carries the genetic information about a male individual's paternal line (father's, father's father's....). The Y-DNA contains many regions which have repeating genetic material. Such repeats are usually short sections of DNA approximately 4 base pairs long (e.g. AACT). The number times that the section repeats itself varies between different individuals. Within each Y-DNA, there are many regions (locus, markers) which contain such repeats. For example, at the location DYS19, if a section repeats itself 10 times, then the marker value (allele) at DYS19 for that individual is 10. If the number of repeats at DYS19 is 11, then the allele value is 11. When more than one marker is tested, the unique set of numbers generated for the set of tested markers is called a "haplotype". An individual's haplotype is unique to that individual's Y-DNA and his paternal ancestry.

A: A haplotype is the unique set of values obtained when a defined set of Y-DNA STR markers are tested. A minimum haplotype refers to the selected set of Y-DNA STR markers chosen to facilitate comparison between different individuals and different populations. DNA Clans calculates the minimum haplotype based on the Y-DNA STR markers that you have tested in comparison to the markers available in the various populations in the database. DNA Clans will compare the markers that you have tested with the markers in the database and calculate which of your markers you should use for best compatibility with the populations in the database.

A: By increasing the number of markers used for comparison, you will obtain more precise results, however, the number of populations that you will be able to compare against will decrease.

A: The Y-DNA contains up to 400 different STR markers, but only selected markers are used for testing. In order to compare your set of STR markers to the STR markers in the indigenous populations database, it is important to find those populations who have tested the same markers that you have. Furthermore, since the data for the hundreds of indigenous populations are from peer reviewed scientific studies from around the world, the exact STR markers chosen for testing may vary between different studies and different populations. The minimum haplotype value is a setting which allows you to indicate the number of markers that you wish to use to compare against the markers in the database. For instance, if you select a value of "10", the program will automatically review your set of markers and suggest to you the best sets of 10 to use for comparison. The selection is based upon the data that you have and how it compares to the data sets in the database. Populations which contain at least 10 of the same markers that you have tested will become available for comparison. If you increase the value to 12, the number of populations which have tested the same 12 markers to you will decrease. However, the stringency of the search will become stronger.

A: Genetic distance is a value which represents the number of non-matches between your haplotype and another haplotype.

A: If you have already ordered a DNA test through the DNA Ancestry Project, you will have complimentary usage of the basic panel of the DNA Clans project. If you do not already have Y-DNA STR markers, click here to order.

A: Currently only males can join, because only males have Y-DNA. If you are female, you can ask a male family member to test and use his test results. The DNA Clans project is the only ancestral analysis program to accept all three types of DNA markers: mtDNA HVR1 and HVR2, Y-DNA STR, and autosomal STR. Males and females who have tested their mtDNA or autosomal STR will be able to use their markers in the project without additional testing, and males who have tested their Y-DNA STR will also be able to use the Y-DNA portion of the feature.

A: You will be tracing the paternal line (father's father's father's... line) of the individual tested.

A: Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes: 22 pairs of autosomal chromosomes and the final pair are sex chromosomes (X and Y chromosomes). While the Y-Chromosome is inherited only from the father and is used to trace paternal ancestry, the autosomal chromosomes are inherited equally from both the mother and the father and contains genetic information from a mixture of both the mother and the father's ancestors. An individual's autosomal DNA is thus a unique blend or mix of genetic material that has been passed down from many ancestors from many lines. While Y-DNA is used to trace paternal ancestry (father's, father's, father....), and mtDNA is used to trace maternal ancestry (mother's, mother's, mother...), the autosomal DNA can be used to analyze the unique blend of ancestries inherited from many ancestors on both the mother's and father's side of the family.

A: Yes, if you have tested your markers through the DNA Ancestry Project, you will be able to use the same markers for this analysis. No conversions or re-testing is required.

A: Yes, if you have initially joined Genebase through DNA Clans, you will also be able to use them for other Genebase ancestry features.

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