Understanding your Results

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1 Paternal Ancestry Report: Sample Understanding your Results What Does this Genetic Test Accomplish? This genetic ancestry test works by analyzing specific regions of your Y chromosome. These regions, termed Short Tandem Repeats (STRs), are segments of your DNA that contain repeated sequences in your DNA code. The vast majority of STRs do not contain any critical information, so they are highly variable among the human population. For example, at the STR DYS19 you may have three repeats of TAGA on your DNA, while your neighbor, John, has four repeats of TAGA. Please see Figure 1 below. Figure 1. Simple example illustrating different versions of the Short Tandem Repeat (STR), DYS19. These variations are useful for a number of different purposes. Interestingly, STR analysis is the same technology that is used to genetically identify humans. This is because the odds of two people having the exact same set of STRs are astronomical. However, groups of people still share patterns in their STRs. This genetic test takes advantage of this shared information to determine your long-term ancestral heritage. Why the Y Chromosome? First of all, what is the Y chromosome? It is one of two sex chromosomes (the other being X) that determines the gender of an individual. Unlike the other 23 chromosomes that make up your genome, the Y chromosome is only passed from father to son. It is this unique pattern of inheritance that makes the Y chromosome especially useful for paternal ancestry determinations. Essentially, the genetic material contained in the Y chromosome ( Y-DNA ) is passed down the male side of the family in an unbroken chain, eventually leading back to the very beginnings of mankind. 1

2 Figure 2. Genomic map of the Y chromosome. The labeled regions indicate the STRs that are analyzed in this genetic test. A total of 23 different regions are analyzed to determine your paternal ancestry. What is a Y-DNA Haplogroup? Y-DNA haplogroups are groupings created to represent the development and migration of early human populations. In general, Y-DNA haplogroups are assigned an alpha character based on the age of the population they represent. For example, haplogroup D first appeared roughly 50,000 years ago, while haplogroup H first appeared around 30,000 years ago. Please see figure 2 below for a family tree of all Y-DNA haplogroups. Figure 3. Lineage of all Y-DNA haplogroups. 2 At the very top of the tree there is one man known as the Y-Chromosomal Most Recent Common Ancestor, informally known as Y-Chromosomal Adam. This individual passed on his copy of the Y chromosome to every male human and is quite literally father to all mankind. Estimates regarding when Y-Chromosomal Adam lived vary, but is generally thought to be roughly 200,000 to 300,000 years ago.

3 Your Results! Dynamic DNA Laboratories certifies that the foillowing results are authentic and 100% accurate. STR Genotype 1 Genotype 2 Haplogroup Probability (%) DYS E1b1a 0.0 DYS389-I 13 E1b1b 0.0 DYS G2a 0.0 DYS389-II 28 G2c - DYS19 14 H - DYS I1 0.0 DYS I2a (xi2a1) 0.0 DYS I2a1 0.0 DYS I2b (xi2b1) - DYS I2b1 0.0 DYS J1 0.0 DYS J2a1b - DYS J2a1h - DYS J2a1 x J2a1-bh - DYS J2b 0.0 DYS L 0.0 DYS N - DYS Q 0.0 DYS R1a 0.0 DYS R1b DYS T - GATA-H4 11 S - Table 1. STR and haplogroup results from your ancestry test at Dynamic DNA Laboratories. Additional comparison of your STR genotypes has indicated that you belong to the subgroup L21/M529. RAW DATA Figure 4. Output from the DNA sequencer identifying the lengths of your STRs. The numbers below each peak refer to the number of repeats in each STR. This number is referred to as your STR Genotype. 3

4 Additional Information Regarding Your Y-DNA Haplogroup Due to patterns in your STR data, additional information is available regarding your Y- DNA haplogroup. Due to your genotype at the loci (position) DYS390 and DYS576, your refined Y-haplogroup is defined as L21/M529. This additional genetic information allows for a wealth of additional information. Please see Figure 5 for a breakdown of R1b haplogroups. Figure 5. Phylogenetic tree of haplogroup R1b provided by Eupedia. This tree reveals the mutations in the R1b haplogroup over time and location. Your testing results indicate that you belong to the L21/M529 Proto- Italo-Celto- Germanic haplogroup. Getting Acquainted with The Stone Age Throughout this report, you will find references to various periods throughout the Stone Age. To better understand these time points and their perspective to human development, we encourage you to refer to the timeline below while reading these findings. 4 Figure 6. Timeline of major milestones in early European humans, ranging from 50,000 to 2,000 years ago (kya).

5 About Haplogroup R1b Origins and Migrations Paleolithic & Mesolithic Time Periods Haplogroup R is thought to have emerged from one man roughly 24,000 years ago in Western Asia (Eurasia), just before the last glacier maximum in Europe. In this time period, the hunter-gatherer societies of R1b roamed across Siberia and parts of Europe. These early people were likely associated with the Gravettian culture and lived during the upper Paleolithic era (Late Stone Age), just before the beginnings of agriculture. They were primarily a hunter-gather society and have contributed some of the most recognizable artifacts from this period in time, including the Venus figurine. Figures such as this were likely produced during the most extensive phase of the last ice age (last glacier maximum). Figure 7. The Venus of Lespugue figurine. Produced by the Gravettian culture roughly 25,000 years ago. Artifacts such as this represent some of the earliest examples of prehistoric art in Europe. Neolithic Eventually, R1b individuals migrated into mesopotamia and the fertile crescent. This migration was largely driven by the extinction of the woolly mammoths, which were the primary prey for R1b tribes. The transition to hunting other large game, such as bisons, was also supplemented by the domestication of early cattle. R1b individuals are thought to be some of the first humans to have domesticated cattle. Farming was also developing during this time, but largely by other Y-haplogroups (G and T). The nomadic requirements of R1b cattle herders spurred their eventual migration out of the fertile crescent. Three different migratory paths have been identified and your ancestors made the best choice by crossing the Caucasus and Pontic Steppe into present-day Europe. This lineage of individuals is often referred to as R1b-M529. During this period of time, archaeologists have identified several early European cultures that have been associated with R1b, including the Hassuna, Anatolian, and Amuq-Byblos (Figure 8). 5

6 Figure 8. Early European cultures from the neolithic time period. Your ancestors migrated out of the fertile crescent during this time period. The Early Bronze Age As R1b tribes progressed onto the Pontic Steppe they contributed to one of the first true bronze age cultures, the Maykop. This advanced culture was one of the first to have developed metalworking. In fact, the world s oldest sword was found in a Maykop grave (Figure 9). Maykop individuals are also credited for developing the first wheeled vehicles. These technical abilities would soon combine to create one of the first warlike people, which would have a huge impact on Bronze-Age Europe (Figure 10). Figure 9. Some of the oldest swords found in modern day Turkey over 5,000 years ago by the Maykop culture. 6

7 Figure 10. European cultures in existence during the late neolithic time period. Your ancestors likely belonged to the Maykop culture. The R1b Conquest of Europe It is important to note that Europe was already well-colonized by the time R1b tribes began to migrate into Western Europe, mostly by Y-haplogroups I1 and I2. However, the advanced technology of the incoming R1b tribes and cultural appreciation for warfare led to the conquering of much of Europe during the end of the Bronze Age into the Iron Age (ca years ago). During this time, the predominate European cultures were the Bell Beaker and Unetice cultures (although this remains a source of debate in the archaeological community). Regardless, R1b tribes so effectively spread across Europe, that it has only been recently agreed upon using genetic evidence that R1b actually migrated into and conquered Europe from Mesopotamia (Figure 11). You are here 7 Figure 11. Full migration map of R1b lineages through the Near East and Europe.

8 The End of the Bronze Age and Expansion into Western Europe As R1b tribes made their way into and settled Western Europe, the Iron Age was developing and the majority of your genetic ancestors (L21/M529) were associated with the Hallstatt culture. This was an advanced, Proto-Celtic culture, eventually giving rise to all Celtic culture. It is at this point that DNA evidence begins to lose resolution; however, this period of time also coincides with the end of ancient history and the beginning of the Middle Ages and better-written history. In the next section, we will discuss what may be learned about your ancestry using modern frequencies of individuals with your same Y- DNA haplogroup. Figure 11. European cultures in existence during the late Bronze Age. Your ancestors likely belonged to the Hallstatt culture. Your R1b Subgroup L21/M529 Geographic Distribution Overall, haplogroup R1b is one of the most widely distributed Y-DNA haplogroups across the world, with members showing up across a diverse population set. Figure 12 below highlights the populations that contain the most members of haplogroup R1b. From an ancestral point of view, the broad range of R1b is not especially useful. Luckily, additional determinations may be made using your more precise haplogroup, L21/M529. Please see Table 2 and Figure 12 below for additional information regarding your geographic ancestry. It is clear that the highest frequencies of R1b-L21 occur throughout the British Isles, although lower amounts are found throughout Western Europe. Your Regional Ancestry It is very likely that your paternal lineage can be traced back directly to the British Isles. Aside from the high concentration of R1b-L21 in this region, your Y-DNA profile also produced several close matches to individuals with known English and Scottish heritages. Given this, it can be said with 100% certainty that your paternal heritiage is exclusively Western European and in all liklihood is a mixture of English and Scottish lineages. However, in very rare circumstances a different country of origin is possible. 8

9 Figure 12. Worldwide frequency of haplogroup R1b, prior to the era of intercontinental travel (ca. 500 years ago). Population % of Population Haplogroup R1b Belarus 5.5 Belgium 61 Croatia 8.5 Denmark 33 England 67 Finland 3.5 France 58.5 Germany 44.5 Greece 15.5 Ireland 81 Italy 39 Lithuania 5 Netherands 49 Portugal 56 Russia 6 Spain 69 Sweden 21.5 Wales 74 Table 2. Frequency of haplogroup R1b throughout Europe. 9

10 Figure 13. Heatmap highlighting the distribution of the L21/M529 haplogroup prior to the era of intercontinental travel. It is very likely that your paternal lineage can be traced back directly to the British Isles. Genetic Matches and Possible Living Relatives In some circumstances, it is possible to identify other individuals that share some or all of your genetic markers. This is accomplished by comparing your results to an online database of individuals that have also had their Y ancestry tested using STRs. Given this, in order to find a distant relative, they must have also had their test performed and entered into this database. Even then, the odds of finding a long lost relative are somewhat low, but certainly not impossible! Often times, a partial match is found that you were likely related to in the very distant past. With the use of some mathematics, an estimate can be generated as to when you and your match last shared an ancestor. This calculation is referred to as the time to most recent common ancestor (TMRCA). Analysis of your genetic data revealed one individual that you share 14/14 markers with. TMRCA calculations using this data suggest that there is a 25% chance that you shared an ancestor with this individual 4 generations ago, a 50% chance that you shared an ancestor 10 generations ago, and a 95% chance that you shared an ancestor 42 generations ago. These calculations assume that one generation equals 31 years. 10

11 The online database provided some additional information regarding this possible genetic match: Last Name Westbrook Contact Person Michelle Westbrook Most distant known paternal ancestor James Westbrook, born 1634 Country of Origin England If you are interested in contacting this individual, then you can do so by logging into the account on that was created for you by Dynamic DNA Laboratories using the following credentials: User ID: Password: DDNA dynamic To find this individual select the Search by Last Name tab and search by last name for Westbrook. If you have any difficulties with this process please feel free to contact us for assistance! Also, please note that other very close matches were found to the surnames, Zellers, Brooks, and Stoner. Famous People from Y-DNA Haplogroup R1b Several noteworthy individuals have been identified as belonging to haplogroup R1b. These individuals include: Nicolaus Copernicus Prussian astronomer Charles Darwin Proposed the theory of evolution and natural selection George Washington 1 st president of the United States Abraham Lincoln 16 th president of the United States Ulysses S. Grant 18 th president of the United States/Civil War military commander James D. Watson Co-discoverer of the structure of DNA It is important to note that just because there is a shared Y-DNA haplogroup, there is still a low liklihood that you are closely related to any one of these individuals. World Migration So, now that you know your paternal haplogroup, let s put this information in perspective. To do this, we need to start at the beginning of the human story. It is estimated that between 200,000 and 300,000 years ago there was a man who is quite literally father to us all this is our Y Chromosomal Adam. It is important to note that this man was not the only living human male at the time, but he was the only one to produce a direct line of inheritance to any person alive today. This man lived in Africa, where humans first evolved and eventually migrated away from. The figure below outlines this migration out of Africa and throughout the world. Using this information, you can quite literally trace the steps that your paternal ancestors took throughout history! 11

12 Figure 14. Map of human Y-DNA migrations out of Africa, beginning over 150,000 years ago. Next Steps! In closing, we at Dynamic DNA encourage you to continue to explore your genetic heritage. The information presented in this report is only meant to act as an introduction. Now that you are armed with your Y-DNA haplogroup, you now have access to a wealth of new information via the internet. Here are some interesting links to wonderful websites that help you to explore your paternal ancestry. 1) an excellent source of information regarding Y-DNA haplogroups 2) all things genetic genealogy! Lastly, please remember that your Y-DNA testing results are only representative of your paternal line. If you are interested in pursuing your maternal ancestry, please consider having your mitochondrial DNA (mtdna) tested at Dynamic DNA Laboratories. Please go to or us at info@dynamicdnalabs.com for additional information E. Republic Road, Suite B204, Springfield, MO Please help us out by adding a comment on our Facebook page!

13 References Lazardis I, Patterson N, Mittnik A, et al. Ancient human genomes suggest three ancestral populations for present-day Europeans. Nature. 2014; (513); 7518; Passarino G, Cavalleri GL, Lin AA, Cavalli-Sforza LL, Børresen-Dale AL, Underhill PA (2002). "Different genetic components in the Norwegian population revealed by the analysis of mtdna and Y chromosome polymorphisms". European Journal of Human Genetics 10 (9): Skoglund P, Malmstrom H, Raghavan M, et al. Origins and genetic legacy of Neolithic farmers and hunter-gathers in Europe. Science. 2012; (336); 6080; Szecsenyi-Nagy A, Brandt G, Keerl V, et al. Tracing the genetic origin of Europe's first farmers reveals insights into their social organization. Proc Roy Soc Bio Sci. 2014; (282); Wells RS, Yuldasheva N, Ruzibakiev R, et al. (August 2001). "The Eurasian heartland: a continental perspective on Y-chromosome diversity" (Table 1: Y-chromosome haplotype frequencies in 49 Eurasian populations, listed according to geographic region). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 98 (18):