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Procedure of a DNA test
MyHeritage is an online platform that offers a multitude of genealogy services to discover your origins and explore your family history.
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MyHeritage is above all a genetic laboratory which offers genealogical analysis of your DNA in order to discover your belonging to the different ethnic groups that make up the human species.
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Since its creation in 2003, the company now has one of the most important databases in the world and allows you to have access to many services around genealogy.
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Key players in genealogical research, Myheritage teams help millions of people around the world every year to find members of their families, discover the secrets of their origins, reconstruct the heritage of our civilizations.
The Founding Populations Project
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To create these comparison models, the lab sought out thousands of participants around the world to trace the DNA sequences specific to the population of these regions. DNA testing was done on individuals who had family trees going back 15 generations in the same region or group.
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With these results, the lab analyzed DNA profiles to identify distinct variations characteristic of each region or group. To develop models for the 42 ethnic origins from which each result is made.
Ethnic origins
An ethnicity is a group of people who share distinct social characteristics such as culture, religion, language, history, heritage, and other attributes. Ethnic origins are usually identified with a specific geographic region where their group is from.
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Humans have about 99.9% of their DNA in common. This allows us to have the same type of metabolism and all the basic functions of our species. The remaining 0.1% of our DNA explains all the differences that can be seen between humans, such as appearance, personality, etc.
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The remaining 0.1% of our DNA grows from generation to generation with changes, which occur for two reasons:
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- Random mutations: when part of the genetic code changes spontaneously.
- Variations caused by the environment: People who live in an environment can adapt to the conditions of that region.
At MyHeritage, estimates of your ethnic origins: are analyzes of these genetic variations. The variations in your DNA are then compared to each of the known variations from existing population groups to assess how similar your DNA is to theirs.
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To do this, MyHeritage had to create reference models of these variations, collected in a huge database.
This is what they call: The Founding Populations Project
The MyHeritage DNA Kit collects a sample of your Autosomal DNA from a simple saliva sample. The lab offers to send a home kit with mouth swabs inside, allowing the participant to collect DNA by rubbing inside the cheek. (no blood or spit required)
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Once complete, you will need to send the samples back to the lab for analysis, which will provide results within 3-4 weeks. The results, which are provided electronically, provide DNA matches and genetic estimates allowing by correlation to deduce probable ethnic origins.
DNA Test - MyHeritage
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When the MyHeritage DNA Lab receives your DNA sample, technicians process your sample in several stages, starting with : the extraction of DNA from its support, the amplification of genetic markers and the translation of biological information into raw digital data.
Once the DNA has been converted into a digital form, the labs algorithms calculate your ethnic estimate, determining which segments of your DNA come from different parts of the world.
Additionally, MyHeritage also compares your DNA with that of other participants to find near and distant relatives.
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The MyHeritage DNA test is an autosomal DNA test only: which examines autosomes, i.e. the DNA chromosomes that are not sex chromosomes. Autosomal chromosomes possess a DNA code inherited from both parents in random combinations.
So an autosomal DNA test will not necessarily tell you which parent passed down a particular DNA sequence. However, because it covers a much wider range of DNA, this genetic analysis will allow you to do much more nuanced and diverse genealogical research.
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This is in comparison with the Y chromosome test which exclusively allows the search for the paternal lineage in male individuals and the mitochondrial DNA test which traces a persons maternal line. It is therefore important to emphasize that you will not receive details of the DNA that you have inherited from each parent.
The autosomal DNA test
How do I identify my ethnic origins?
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Once your DNA has been received by the lab, it is analyzed to compare your variants to those of the models that MyHeritage has set up for each of the 42 ethnic origins. This comparison creates a percentage estimate of your ethnic origins.
It is important to understand that there are limits to the precision of the estimates.
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The difference between the laboratories :
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If you’ve tested with multiple labs, chances are your results will differ from company to company. Indeed, each analysis laboratory has constructed its own references of ethnic origins according to the reference participants.
Even if they tested the same number of people from the same region, the references will naturally be different depending on the people tested. In general, the more tests done for each ethnicity, the more accurate the model will be.
Imprecise boundaries :
Due to the interlocking of certain borders over time, it is possible to receive an estimate of your ethnic origins which identifies your DNA as belonging to a neighbouring ethnic origin.
This is due to the assimilation of certain populations by others throughout history. Unfortunately, the Estimates of ethnic origins are limited by the number of generations of the reference person from the region in question.
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Inheritance is random :
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Each person randomly inherits 50% of their biological father’s DNA and 50% of their biological mother’s DNA. This can create a situation where you may receive genes that don’t match your parents’ cultural identity.
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For example:
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your grandfather is half Hispanic: 50% and half English: 50%
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your grandmother is 100% Italian
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your father can be 25% Hispanic, 25% English and 50% Italian
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The 50% of genes you inherit from your father may then consist of 25% English and 25% Italian. In one situation, Hispanic ethnicity is not reflected in your DNA.
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However, every year tens of thousands of people take the MyHeritage DNA test, which helps add additional genetic information to their database. Therefore, over time, the laboratory analyzes are more and more precise.
Genetic groups
Genetic Groups are used to map ethnic origins into geographic regions, providing more depth and precision to DNA test results. Today, MyHeritage is able to define 2,114 different genetic groups, each of which provides clearer access to your family history, indicating the specific provinces and regions of your origins.
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a description of the group
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a detailed hotspot map showing the main locations where members of the group lived during different time periods
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group migration patterns
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common ancestral surnames and first names in the group
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the most common ethnic backgrounds among group members
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other genetic groups that have a close affinity with the group being studied
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Please note that the genetic groups differ from the estimates concerning the ethnic origins.
A genetic group can be made up of one or more ethnic origins.
The members of this group then share geographical origins, but they may have origins that come from different ethnicities. This is particularly the case in the countries of the New World which today make up a new genetic group, but whose origins are a mixture of European ethnic groups.
Therefore, you cannot receive a percentage estimate for a genetic group. Either you are a member of the genetic group or you are not. This is calculated based on the number of DNA segments that associate you with this group.
Information of genetic groups:
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For each genetic group in which you are considered a member, MyHeritage determines a confidence level based on the comparison information.
So you can be a member of one or more groups (or even none) with a greater or lesser level of trust. Either because your ethnic ancestors rarely use MyHeritage, or because the trust level of members who may match you was below the thresholds imposed by the laboratory.
The trust level:
Genealogical research
MyHeritage offers online tools to help you create your family tree. The strength of this program is the possibility of linking your research of classic genealogies (documents, archives, etc.) with the genetic genealogy of DNA tests.
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Thanks to the database of billions of people in the world, you receive matches with other family trees that can add new details to your tree and your research. This match can also be between historical records and people in your family tree.
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The online platform will offer you matches with other users according to:
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The names
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Family trees
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Geographic origins and ancestral places
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Historical data (documents, archives and events)
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Genetic Matches
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Similar search results from other users
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All information is translated and accessible for each user in several languages in order to have no barriers in searches around the world.
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Matching information therefore allows one to connect both shared information and people who share your DNA. Matches can also be discovered with only the information cross searched.
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In addition, MyHeritage offers a very powerful search engine that will give you access to all the historical, international, family tree documents that make up their database.
Information Matches
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DNA Matching is a service offered by MyHeritage to give you the ability to find relatives or family members you did not know; thanks to your DNA! The lab converges your genetic data with the genetic data of other people who have also taken the test, and identifies shared genetic sequences in order to indicate a possible family relationship.
The higher the percentage of DNA you have in common with another person, the greater and more likely the match.
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With this, the laboratory allows you to access the list of your matches! Matches are people you may not yet know, but with whom you share a percentage of your DNA.
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These matches are classified by degree of genetic proximity, more or less close in your family tree. You will have access to the details of these people (name, age, country), and to various tools to help you in your genealogical research. (beacon, anchor, perspectives...)
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MyHeritage’s online platform also includes messaging to put you in direct contact with all your genetic matches. In this group, a user can expect dozens or even hundreds of matches.
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Remember: this number will continue to grow as more and more people take DNA tests
DNA Matches
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One of the strengths of this lab is the data import service from other providers. Indeed, MyHeritage is today the only one that lets you import all your genetic research for free from any other laboratory, in order to better organize you and centralize all your information.
