No problem Carole. Perhaps one of these days when I can scrape together $100 for the test, I'll throw my DNA hat in the ring to see where I fit with everyone else as well :-) Michael Sellers -----Original Message----- From: Carole S. Walker [mailto:mott@cetlink.net] Sent: Friday, January 16, 2004 11:01 AM To: SELLERS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [SELLERS] DNA RESULTS Thanks, Michael. It will be interesting to see my Cousin Keith Alan Sellers results. Keith mailed his kit back this week to FTDNA. Carole in SC ----- Original Message ----- From: Sellers.Michael To: SELLERS-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Friday, January 16, 2004 12:25 PM Subject: RE: [SELLERS] DNA RESULTS Just wanted to pass along an article from MSNBC on January 16, 2002 about DNA being used in genealogical pursuits to indicate if two people are related via a distant, common ancestor. The author uses his own experience to illustrate the process. It discusses how Family Tree DNA is really taking off at the time. I think it lends some help in understanding what it means when markers don't match 100%. The following is an excerpt from the article: "If two men have identical results on a 12-marker test, they're almost certainly related, said Bennett Greenspan, founder of Family Tree DNA. But there's only a 50 percent chance that their common ancestor lived within the past 14.5 generations, or roughly 600 years. If just one marker is different, that means there has been a change, or mutation, in the Y-chromosome since the common ancestor lived - pointing to a more distant relationship. "You can expect one mutation. That's rolling the dice," said Doug Mumma, a genealogist who has arranged for more than 30 DNA tests of other Mummas. Two variations, however, is "pushing it." And when three or more markers are different, Mumma considers the person to be unrelated." The full article is at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3077144/ Basically, having 10 out of 12 markers matching is leaning towards not being related. But, there is the possibility of more than one genetic mutation in the code with the passing of each generation. More than one mutation is pretty rare, though. Hope this helps ... Michael Sellers -----Original Message----- From: Marie Sellers-Hollinger [mailto:mari@netins.net] Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2004 09:34 PM To: SELLERS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: RE: [SELLERS] DNA RESULTS CAROLE, frustrating, huh! the FT dna suggests having another family member tested. I believe Keith has joined, but kit not rec'd yet. Hopefully, he will do this soon. am sending him a cc of this, but, I may need a newer address. If you have, please forward to him for a little help! I did do a search for 10/12 markers, but, above was about it. You can also send a note to them directly or thro the discussion group listed on our dna page. http://www.familytreedna.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=3 Please advise any other ideas. Thanks, marie, iowa -----Original Message----- From: Carole S. Walker [mailto:mott@cetlink.net] Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 6:16 PM To: SELLERS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [SELLERS] DNA RESULTS Can someone answer my question. I received my brother's DNA test results today. I was sure it would match up with Michael Isaac Sellers' DNA, but it is 2 markers off, which means we are not probably related. We have proven his line with my family line and know for a fact that we definitely are related. Can someone help me? Thanks, Carole in SC