Ancestry.com Enters DNA Genealogy Field

Geoff Rasmussen

18 Jun 2007

The following was written by Ancestry.com:

PROVO, Utah, June 18 /PRNewswire/ — A new partnership seeks to reunite families through science. The Generations Network, parent company of Ancestry.com, has announced it will combine its unrivaled collection of online family trees and historical documents with Sorenson Genomics’ precision ancestral DNA testing. This unique partnership promises to revolutionize family history by allowing people to trace their roots and connect to distant cousins through DNA at the click of a mouse.

Ancestry.com boasts more than 14 million users and the world’s largest collection of online family trees. In the last 12 months alone, more than two million people have built family trees on Ancestry.com. Sorenson Genomics is one of the world’s foremost laboratories for genetic genealogy testing services, and has been helping genealogists extend branches of their family trees through DNA analysis since 2001.

"Entering the DNA category is a natural and powerful extension of our company’s mission to connect families across distance and time," said Tim Sullivan, CEO of The Generations Network. "Our partnership with Sorenson Genomics creates an incredible combination of resources designed to demonstrate how closely we are all related."

By taking a simple cheek-swab test and comparing results against DNA profiles in a test-results database, virtually anyone can uncover genealogical associations unimaginable just a few years ago. Users can easily connect with and discover lost or unknown relatives within a few generations, as well as gain insight into where their families originated thousands of years ago.

In the coming months, Ancestry.com will release technology that captures DNA test results in an ever-expanding, searchable database. Using this database, users can easily identify distant cousins and tap into thousands of hours of already-completed genetic genealogical research, breaking through family tree dead-ends or barriers such as missing or inaccurate records and name changes. Ancestry.com is also developing technology that will allow users to integrate DNA results with the historical documents already in their online family trees.

"DNA research becomes more meaningful to people searching for relatives as more peoples’ DNA results become part of the database," said Doug Fogg, COO of Sorenson Genomics. "By combining the powerful networking effect of Ancestry.com’s extensive user base with Sorenson Genomics’ industry-leading DNA testing capabilities, this partnership will dramatically alter and expand the DNA testing services marketplace."

Prior to the current partnership, Sorenson Genomics provided DNA testing and database matching services through its direct-to-consumer genetic genealogy division Relative Genetics. This new partnership agreement brings former customers of Relative Genetics and its DNA database under The Generations Network’s umbrella. Sorenson Genomics will now provide DNA testing services for The Generations Network, and Ancestry.com will market DNA testing and database-matching services for genealogy purposes. Results of the Relative Genetics’ DNA database will be included in Ancestry.com’s growing database.

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Did you know that in Legacy Family Tree you can record your DNA results? From the Individual’s Information screen, click on the DNA button, select your test results, and record the information.

Comments (10)

Will ancestry.com use the results from other DNA researchers such as Family Tree DNA to enhance the DNA database they are planning? There are many group projects out there which were done through other companies that should be included with a complete DNA database. What are the plans for those companies and those many thousands of results?

Melissa, you can trace your female mtdna, down thru your female line, ie: mother, grandmother, great-grandmother etc.
Jack

Great article but what is the cost?

You would research mitochondrial DNA for a female line.

To answer melissa’s question, the Y chromosome test compares males, as the Y chromesome is passed down through the male lineage, but there is also a test that looks at mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). A mother passes her mtDNA to both male and female offspring. The female offspring will then pass it down to all her offspring, and so on. Therefore the female line can be traced.

See the details at Relative Genetics. Male line is required for accurate testing back many generations. Female may be useful for a few generations.

There are at least two different genealogically related DNA tests that I am aware of. Y-DNA (the Y-DNA passed down from father to son only) and MtDNA (Mitochondria)which is passed from mother to daughter. While a mother passes MtDNA to her sons. ales do NOT pass the MtDNA onto their children, only the male DNA.Without plugging any testing company, I suggest you search for DNA testing on the WEB.Some companies have free in-depth lessons explaining it all!

Hi Melissa,
The usual DNA analyses use what is called ‘genomic’ DNA (from the cell’s nucleus), which contain equal contributions from both male and female parents (and the parent’s contain equal male and female contributions from their parents etc, etc). There are more specialised techniques that can analyse ‘DNA markers’ on the Y chromosome which is passed down almost unaltered through the male lines. Hence if you go back just through the male lines you can find where a man’s Y chromosome originally came from (and hence any characters on it). Equally there are methods for checking the DNA profile of mitochondrial DNA (outside the nucleus) which is passed down almost unaltered through the female lines). Hence you can trace where anyone’s (male or female) mito DNA (may determine characters of respiration and muscles, incl the heart) came from by going back through only the female line. Hope this helps.

Is Ancestry going to market the DNA tests? If so when will it start, what will be the cost and how will we be able to get the test kits?

this dna thing is great but my understanding is that it has to be a male
line what if i want to research a female line
just wondering

SL
Sharon Lopez

17 years ago

Will ancestry.com use the results from other DNA researchers such as Family Tree DNA to enhance the DNA database they are planning? There are many group projects out there which were done through other companies that should be included with a complete DNA database. What are the plans for those companies and those many thousands of results?
JL
Jack Lamphier

17 years ago

Melissa, you can trace your female mtdna, down thru your female line, ie: mother, grandmother, great-grandmother etc.
Jack
M
Michael

17 years ago

Great article but what is the cost?
FS
Florence Stoneberg

17 years ago

You would research mitochondrial DNA for a female line.
MS
Mark Sargent

17 years ago

To answer melissa’s question, the Y chromosome test compares males, as the Y chromesome is passed down through the male lineage, but there is also a test that looks at mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). A mother passes her mtDNA to both male and female offspring. The female offspring will then pass it down to all her offspring, and so on. Therefore the female line can be traced.
BP
Ben Palmer

17 years ago

See the details at Relative Genetics. Male line is required for accurate testing back many generations. Female may be useful for a few generations.
T
Thomas

17 years ago

There are at least two different genealogically related DNA tests that I am aware of. Y-DNA (the Y-DNA passed down from father to son only) and MtDNA (Mitochondria)which is passed from mother to daughter. While a mother passes MtDNA to her sons. ales do NOT pass the MtDNA onto their children, only the male DNA.Without plugging any testing company, I suggest you search for DNA testing on the WEB.Some companies have free in-depth lessons explaining it all!
J
John

17 years ago

Hi Melissa,
The usual DNA analyses use what is called ‘genomic’ DNA (from the cell’s nucleus), which contain equal contributions from both male and female parents (and the parent’s contain equal male and female contributions from their parents etc, etc). There are more specialised techniques that can analyse ‘DNA markers’ on the Y chromosome which is passed down almost unaltered through the male lines. Hence if you go back just through the male lines you can find where a man’s Y chromosome originally came from (and hence any characters on it). Equally there are methods for checking the DNA profile of mitochondrial DNA (outside the nucleus) which is passed down almost unaltered through the female lines). Hence you can trace where anyone’s (male or female) mito DNA (may determine characters of respiration and muscles, incl the heart) came from by going back through only the female line. Hope this helps.
LH
Leroy Harper

17 years ago

Is Ancestry going to market the DNA tests? If so when will it start, what will be the cost and how will we be able to get the test kits?
M
melissa

17 years ago

this dna thing is great but my understanding is that it has to be a male
line what if i want to research a female line
just wondering