Grant Kretzer asked:


DNA is a biological material that enables an individual to be identified against any other individual anywhere in the world. It is the most effective subject for determining whether two or more individuals are biologically related, and it is of vital importance in solving crime and determining paternity. But most people don’t know a great deal about what DNA actually is, how it works and why it is the subject of so much research and so much development spending.

DNA, or Deoxyribonucleic acid, is a material found in us all, profiling what we’re like and where we’ve come from. It’s passed down to us from our parents, where we receive half of our DNA maternally and half our DNA paternally. The DNA itself contains the instruction or blueprint for life, and controls the function of the cells as well as being a perfect indicator of ancestry and biological relations.

DNA is made up of various nucleotides, and is essentially made up of amino acids, and it is matched with the so-called bases which provide the key to determining the genetic blueprint. DNA can be extracted from a range of sources, including samples of hair, cigarette butts, blood, razor clippings or saliva. Thus it is relatively easy to obtain samples, which can then be tested in a laboratory to determine any genetic relationships that may be present.

Where DNA Comes From

DNA is made up of one half of your mother’s DNA and one half of your father’s DNA, and will be 50% passed down to your children. It is this that ensures DNA is unique, and allows for accurate testing of parentage and direct descendance through a DNA paternity test.

Why Is DNA Important?

Biologically, DNA is essential to life. It’s found in all humans and all other organisms, in every cell, and stores complex information about the way we are, inherited from our parents. What this means is that DNA is absolutely unique and individual, which is perfect for determining factual circumstances in a number of cases. Through testing DNA, relationships of parentage can be easily established as can siblingship and even more distant family relationships. It can also help establish where two specimens of DNA match, thus allowing identification of the same DNA profile to be made for legal reasons.

Whilst DNA is important biologically, it is also becoming an increasing factor in our everyday lives, with immigration processes, the police and the judicial system all relying on formal DNA testing as part of their fact-finding procedures. Whilst the results from DNA testing are not exactly conclusive of the facts, they do provide one of the best and most reliable guarantees of accurate, positive identification.

Where Can DNA Be Found?

DNA is present in every living thing, and it can even be found occasionally in some viruses. It is found within cellular material, more specifically within the nucleus where the chromosomes can be seen and subsequently analysed. DNA is located within each cell to give the opportunity to repair the body and grow, and it can be analysed to achieve a picture of the original source thanks to incredible advances in testing techniques and research.



Ancestry.com DNA testing

Grant Kretzer asked:


The use of DNA testing for determining a person’s ancestry is becoming more and common. By linking your maternal DNA (mitochondrial DNA) and your paternal DNA (the y-chromosome), these ancestry databases are effectively able to link you to other people to whom you may be related and thereby determining to some degree your ancestral lineage and where your ancestors came from.

DNA Ancestry Testing – Y-Chromosome and Mitochondial DNA

The first thing that genealogists look for is a father-to-son linkage, tracked down the Y chromosome which only men posses. Therefore, they are able to observe the Y chromosome that appears in other people and compare them, to determine where a paternal link may be present. This comparison, in essence, allows for the genealogist to try and find paternal linkages amongst people. The other thing that can be done is to link maternal DNA. This in particular is a very powerful testing method that allows for accurate tracking back over many generations because of the mitochondria.

Unlike DNA found in the nucleus, which can be altered and changes as environments change, mitochondrial DNA is a direct connection from child to mother that can’t be altered along the way. By taking a sample of the mitochondrial DNA, which is different than the DNA found in the nucleus, the genealogist can determine a maternal linkage. By taking this information, they can, once again, find, perhaps those long lost cousins or celebrity ancestors.

DNA Ancestry Testing – Matching to a DNA Database

However, can this really be effective at tracing family lines? How can they tell you who you’re related to throughout history? Some online ancestry websites create a database of DNA against which your can be matched. By taking a simple mouth swab and run the DNA tests, they then save the DNA profile that is collected. However, the key is for them to continuously compare other people’s DNA profiles to what your profile is. In essence, this will create a massive database that will determine instantly if a piece of code is a direct comparison to yours. So, as the database grows more and more, more and more relatives and ancestors can be discovered for more and more people.

DNA Ancestry Testing – Determine geographical ancestry

Furthermore, these DNA tests are able to help you find out where you come from. It’s argued that 170,000 years ago, humans left Africa and migrated elsewhere across the globe. Some went to Europe, some went to southern Africa, while others went to Asia to settle. By comparing the DNA profile of a person to that of researched ethnic groups, it is possible to provide information about where people are from.

DNA testing has become a very useful method for people to find long lost relatives. Furthermore, the argument of the true nature of one’s ethnic origins can finally be resolved by DNA testing processes. Of course, as the databases grow and more research is conducted on, the usefulness of these types of tests will increase greatly.



Ancestry.com DNA testing