What is subclade testing?

Subclade testing can provide increased resolution of your placement on the Y-chromosome phylogenetic tree.  Before your subclade can be determined, you must first know what haplogroup you fall into.  Haplogroups are defined by a unique mutation event such as a single nucleotide polymorphism, or SNP.  These SNPs mark the branch of a haplogroup, and indicate that all descendents of that haplogroup at one time shared a common ancestor.  The Y-DNA SNP mutation has been passed from father to son over thousands of years.  Over time, additional SNPs may occur within a haplogroup, leading to a new lineage.  These new lineages are considered subclades of the haplogroup.  Each time a new mutation occurs, there is a new branch in the haplogroup, and therefore a new subclade.  By testing for the presence of SNPs that have been identified as being indicative of a subclade within a haplogroup, you can now determine which specific subclade you belong to within your previously determined haplogroup.

What are the subclades of Haplogroup Q?

Current data indicate that there are 14 distinct lineages, or subclades, within Haplogroup Q that can be detected with a panel of 14 different SNPs.  The haplogroup first splits into Paragroup Q* and Subclade Q1.  There are three distinct lineages within Subclade Q1: Paragroup Q1*, Subclade Q1a, and Subclade Q1b.  The remaining 11 subclades within haplogroup Q are located within Q1a3, one of the seven distinct lineages within Subclade Q1a.  Refer to the figure below to see how the 14 subclades have derived from Haplogroup Q.




Description of the Panel

The Y-DNA Haplogroup Q Subclade Test consists of a panel of 14 SNP markers.  These markers are used to define 14 different subclades in Haplogroup Q.  The location of the SNP, the actual mutation that is detected, and the subclade that they define is listed below for each of the 14 markers.
 

Description of the Subclades

Since many of the SNP markers that define the subclades within Haplogroup Q have only recently been detected, there have been few studies that have incorporated them into the genealogical analyses.  In addition, Subclade Q1a3a has been the focus of most studies since it is detected at such high rates within the Americas.  Consequently, relatively little is known about some of the individual subclades.  However, this means that any new information gathered about the subclades will be important for advancing our understanding of the history of human populations.  The table below summarizes some of the current knowledge about Haplogroup Q subclades.