23 July 2013

Crowdfunding for 'A00 and the Peoples of Cameroon' Research Project'

Some of the technical advancements in our modern world amaze me.

In my DNA presentations I talk about how citizen scientists are contributing in a big way to new discoveries in genetics due to genetic genealogy projects. Last year a scientific paper was published that named a citizen-scientist, a genetic genealogist named Bonnie Schrack, as one of the co-authors. "An African American Paternal Lineage Adds an Extremely Ancient Root to the Human Y Chromosome Phylogenetic Tree" was published in The American Journal of Human Genetics.1 When a member of Bonnie's DNA project did not match others in the project she investigated and got the Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) scientists involved. Long story short, new branches of the Y-DNA tree were discovered—the oldest branches of the Y-tree.

This is amazing because someone interested in his family history took a DNA test that revealed fascinating new information about the human family tree and a citizen-scientist made the initial discovery by comparing him to others in her project.

Now that citizen-scientist is using another modern technology, crowdfunding, to finance further testing to learn more about this new branch. In one day the project reached its initial goal. Don't let that prevent you from donating if you think this is as exciting as I do. Perhaps the project managers didn't have enough faith in the generosity of the genetic genealogy community to ask for all the money that will be needed for this project. They only asked for enough to get started so continued donations will be very much welcome and there will likely be later phases of fund raising as the project progresses. It costs a lot of money to travel around Cameroon to take DNA samples and pay for the kits.

Here is the announcement that Bonnie Schrack sent out earlier today on genetic genealogy mail lists (copied with permission, not cited as I saw it on a private list):

Dear friends and fellow enthusiasts,

I have an exciting announcement to share with you. Until now, we as genetic genealogists and researchers of deep ancestry have always been dependent on the field research carried out by professional, academic population geneticists, whose priorities and interests have been different from ours. They were the only ones with access to the grant funding necessary to finance such projects.

It's a new day now—the times they are a-changin'. "Crowdfunding" is one of the hottest new developments in the online world, and with good reason. Now, we the people can launch all kinds of projects, and we can decide what we want to support with our own funds.

Today we go live with our crowdfunding page for the first grassroots, citizen science organized project to collect DNA samples in the field, in Cameroon! We're using the Microryza website, which is devoted to crowdfunding science research. Here's the link:

http://microryza.com/projects/y-dna-a00-and-the-peoples-of-cameroon-in-search-of-the-homeland

OR

http://bit.ly/13Z3et8

Many of you heard about our discovery of the A00 haplogroup, the world's earliest-branching Y-chromosome lineage. It was found in a WTY[Walk the Y Project] of the [surname deleted], an African-American family with an extremely unusual and unique haplotype, and then we found a few haplotypes matching them from members of two African ethnic groups, the Mbo and the Bangwa, who are neighbors in Southwest Cameroon. A few tiny bits of Mbo DNA were shared with Dr. Michael Hammer, and sequenced by his lab and Thomas Krahn at FTDNA. The SNPs confirmed that they belonged to the same haplogroup as the Perry family.

Calculations by Dr. Fernando Mendez, and others in our community, have placed the branching age of this lineage at anywhere from 200,000 to 338,000 years ago—at the dawn of modern humans' emergence, or before. And so little is known about it! How far does it extend from those few Mbo and Bangwa families, and can it be found in other peoples? Is A00 a remnant of the earliest, indigenous hunting and gathering peoples of Africa, and if so, when and where were they assimilated into other peoples, who are now settled farmers (though they still hunt)?

For the first time since A00 has been known to exist, a young Cameroonian scholar, Matthew Fomine Forka Leypey, a member of the Mbo ethnic group, will visit the villages known to harbor significant numbers of A00 members, sample there, and collect information on the families. How do we know which villages have A00? Because Matthew collected the original Mbo samples, and over 2000 other DNA samples from all over Cameroon, as part of his dissertation research! His data indicate that the Mbo and Bangwa are only two of a number of peoples who have A00 among them. About a dozen other ethnic groups include A00 members, including some Pygmies! Those samples, though, are no longer available to us.

Now it's time to gather our own samples. We have a series of five field trips planned, to gather samples of diverse peoples in Western, Southern and Eastern Cameroon. Our analysis will include some special areas of knowledge from Matthew's studies, such as how different peoples support themselves within forest and grasslands ecologies, and the effects of polygamy vs. monogamy in patterns of populations' Y-chromosome DNA.

In the past, it has always been thought necessary to make DNA donors anonymous when they participate in scientific studies. In this project, however, we'll be asking for the donors' names, for several reasons:
  1. We want to give them the possibility of receiving their test results, if they are interested
  2. We want there to be a future possibility of families who match them, such as African Americans, to know their matches, if they opt in
  3. We hope to gather a second sample (saliva) from one or more donors, in order to have a full Y genome sequence done
  4. We hope to correlate the haplogroups and haplotypes we find with families of different known histories, such as royal lineages, traditional religious office-holders, and those that are known to have had ancestors held as slaves by local rulers.

Of course, their names will not be made public except, should they decide to participate and future funding allows it, to their individual DNA matches.

This is a kind of research, combining genealogy with population genetics, that academics rarely undertake, but which has been occasionally done in papers such as this one by one of the co-authors of our last paper, Dr. Krishna Veeramah:

"Sex-Specific Genetic Data Support One of Two Alternative Versions of the Foundation of the Ruling Dynasty of the Nso in Cameroon"

We have four weeks to raise the $2500 needed to launch our first field trip in Cameroon. Our deadline is August 19th. Then Matthew will set out for the remote mountain villages where he was raised. We look forward to bringing you all along on this great adventure.

In addition, apart from the appeal for fieldwork support per se, we're looking for a few generous individuals who'll help us obtain a decent (can be used) laptop and a digital camera for Matthew, who's a very low-income grad student. We're also looking for a trustworthy person flying to Cameroon who can take these along, saving us the exorbitant shipping fees. Please write to me if you have any leads.

In the near future, the next fundraising campaign will ask for your support for the DNA extraction and the screening of our first set of samples for A00. Stay tuned! Please visit and "like" our page on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/A00.Cameroon.Project

Looking forward to seeing you, with gratitude for your support,

Bonnie Schrack

If you can't afford to donate right now, but find this a worthwhile projec,t maybe you can help with the next round of fund raising. Go citizen-scientists!


1. Fernando L. Mendez, Thomas Krahn, Bonnie Schrack, Astrid-Maria Krahn, Krishna R. Veeramah, August E. Woerner, Forka Leypey Mathew Fomine, Neil Bradman, Mark G. Thomas, Tatiana M. Karafet and Michael F. Hammer, "An African American Paternal Lineage Adds an Extremely Ancient Root to the Human Y Chromosome Phylogenetic Tree," The American Journal of Human Genetics 28 February 2013 (92:3):454-459; digital edition, doi:10.1016/j.ajhg.2013.02.002 (http://www.cell.com/AJHG/abstract/S0002-9297(13)00073-6 : accessed 22 July 2013).


To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Crowdfunding for 'A00 and the Peoples of Cameroon' Research Project'," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 22 July 2013 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2013, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

22 July 2013

July 27, Free DNA Seminar at Houston's Clayton Library (Reminder)

Just a Reminder:

If you are in the Houston area this weekend please join me for a free all-day seminar on genetic genealogy at Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research. These sessions will cover basic genetics for beginners and an introduction to analyzing your DNA test results. A detailed handout includes instructions that go beyond the steps we'll have time to cover in the seminar.

Registration will begin in the Carriage House shortly after the library opens at 10:00 a.m. The sessions include:

  • 10:30-12:00 GATA GACC! DNA and Genetic Genealogy Today—Learn where we are today using DNA for genealogy. Maximize Y-DNA, mitochondrial DNA, and autosomal DNA test results to contribute to genealogical research goals.
  • break for lunch on your own
  • 1:30-2:15 Going Nuclear: DNA Discoveries to Trace All Lines of Descent—Learn to link families using autosomal DNA test results from any testing company. Maximize impact on your genealogical research goals. Includes how to use test results such as those from 23andMe, Family Tree DNA, and AncestryDNA.
  • 2:30-3:15 Paternal Lines: Using Y-DNA—Learn details of Y-DNA testing including how to analyze test results. Findings can corroborate your paper trail or place you on the right research path.
  • 3:30-4:15 Maternal Lines: Using Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)—Understand mitochondrial DNA testing with an introduction to analysis of test results. Sample research problems demonstrate how mtDNA can be used by genealogists.

To register for the classes, please call 832-393-2600. All classes are free and open to the public, but space is limited.

Directions to the library can be found here.


To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "July 27, Free DNA Seminar at Houston's Clayton Library (Reminder)," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 22 July 2013 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2013, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

"Practical Genetic Genealogy" A Hands-on Approach

Finally! The official announcement is out. We can shout to the rooftops about an exciting new course to be offered next year at the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP). The GRIP administrators let us pre-announce this new offering to the DNA Day attendees at the Southern California Jamboree: Family History and DNA conference. Then we were asked not to talk publicly until the big announcement was made at GRIP orientation last night. Here is the text of the flyer we passed out at SoCal (with e-mail addresses replaced by blog links):



The FIRST and ONLY
Comprehensive, Interactive Course on How to Interpret and
Apply DNA Test Results to Your Genealogical Research

July 20–25, 2014
at
Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP)

A full week of practical, hands-on experience analyzing and
correlating DNA test results using the latest tools and techniques.


This course will be useful to those wishing to make use of their own DNA test results, project administrators, and genetic genealogy consultants. The basics of DNA inheritance will be covered. Most of the time will be devoted to analyzing DNA test results and correlating those findings with information from traditional research to solve genealogical problems. Topics will include Y-DNA, mtDNA, X-DNA, and autosomal DNA, a comparison of company offerings, website navigation, project administration, privacy and ethical issues, tools, and more.

Course instructors will be
Registration opens February 2014
Course details will be available this fall on the GRIP website http://www.gripitt.org/

For more information about GRIP, please contact info AT GRIPitt.org

The Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh was founded in 2012 and has already earned a reputation for offering top-notch education by some of the best genealogical instructors in the U.S. Six or more different in-depth courses are offered each year.
GRIP co-directors are Deborah Lichtner Deal and Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL. 2013 instructors include well-known genealogists such as John Philip Colletta, PhD; Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, CGL; Pamela Boyer Sayre, CG, CGL; Rick Sayre, CG, CGL; Craig R. Scott, CG; Paula Stuart-Warren, CG; D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS; and many others.



I am so excited about this course. I started developing an outline for a genetic genealogy course several years ago. As more and more questions were asked on how to analyze DNA test results it became obvious an in-depth course was needed—more detail than can be covered in a one-hour or one-day session. Today, the most up-to-date and in-depth knowledge on using genetics for genealogical research is displayed on a few mail lists, forums, blogs, and Wikis. As I got to know CeCe Moore and Blaine Bettinger we found we shared ideas on the needs of our community. We collaborated to finalize the outline for the course and offered it to GRIP. And, as they say, the rest is history—or will be after July 2014 when the course will be presented for the first time.

More details on the contents of the week-long course will be available in the coming months. As the flyer indicates, the course outline will be posted this fall on the GRIP website. You will see more blog posts in the coming months with details of some of the sessions.

We will cover basic genetics and just enough theory to provide a good foundational understanding. The majority of the sessions will include hands‑on exercises so you can learn how to do DNA analysis using real-life test results and situations we all run into in genealogical research. I hope to see you all there next summer.



To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, '"Practical Genetic Genealogy" A Hands-on Approach,' Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 22 July 2013 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2013, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

21 July 2013

Ancient Mitochondrial DNA, Many Matches Syndrome, Citizen-Scientists and Scientific Data

A recent story in the news illustrates several points I make in my genetic genealogy presentations. The story reports a scientific study that confirms genetic links between living members of the First Nations community and ancient remains in British Columbia:
A groundbreaking genetic study led by a team of U.S. and Canadian anthropologists has traced a direct DNA link between the 5,500-year-old remains of an aboriginal woman found on a British Columbia island, a second set of ancient female bones from a nearby 2,500-year-old site and — most stunningly — a living Tsimshian woman from the Metlakatla First Nation, located close to both of the prehistoric burials along B.C.’s North Coast near the city of Prince Rupert.1
It is jaw-droppingly amazing to read about scientific studies linking the DNA of someone living today with the DNA of someone who lived thousands of years ago, both in the same geographic area. I remember how excited I was to find out I shared mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) with the Cheddar Man found in a cave in England and that my family shares Y-DNA with ancient horsemen roaming the Russian steppes. If my DNA had been matched to ancient remains on my doorstep I would still be floating on air.

Compared to the technology of only a decade ago, it is amazing for me to read about this study in my remote, rural location on a lazy Sunday morning. A quick Internet search links me to several news stories on this event as well as genetic genealogy blog posts.2

Even more amazing is that I can quickly find the paper written by the scientists doing the research.3 I can download it from the open-access, peer-reviewed journal website along with the supplemental data—all at no charge. (Every serious genetic genealogist should become familiar with PLOS—Public Library of Science—and PLOS ONE.4)
I can see exactly where and how many DNA mutations there are that separate the ancient and modern British Columbia mtDNA samples—only a handful. The scientific paper includes the GenBank assession numbers for the DNA samples referenced in the paper.5 I can access the DNA signatures and use them in my own studies. GenBank is a database storing publicly available DNA sequences:
The GenBank database is designed to provide and encourage access within the scientific community to the most up to date and comprehensive DNA sequence information. Therefore, NCBI places no restrictions on the use or distribution of the GenBank data. However, some submitters may claim patent, copyright, or other intellectual property rights in all or a portion of the data they have submitted.6
Aside from all of the really amazing facts above about access to scientific data by non-scientists or citizen-scientists, this story also demonstrates why it can be more difficult to use mtDNA for genealogical purposes. The frequency of mutations in Y-DNA often lead to enough changes in a few thousand years that we can find a common ancestor in a genealogical timeframe. The frequency of mutations in mtDNA seldom lead to enough changes in a few thousand years that we can find a common ancestor in a genealogical timeframe. Notice I used the words often and seldom. I did not use the words always and never. The random nature of DNA mutations makes it impossible to know what you will see until a test is done. That random mtDNA mutation needed to prove your genealogical theory could have happened four or five generations ago instead of dozens. There are some genealogical questions, but not all, that can answered emphatically with the right DNA test. Many Matches Syndrome describes a lot of matches seen with a low resolution test. And family trees may not go back far enough to find a common ancestor when you match someone on a high resolution test such as the full mtDNA sequence.

I strongly encourage anyone interested to take a DNA test for genealogical purposes. But if you want to use the test results as evidence you should understand what you can and cannot do with DNA test results. And you need to be prepared to spend time studying what the results mean. You won't receive a piece of paper with the answer to all of your genealogical questions written in plain language. You will have to learn some of the science.You will have to contact those with matching DNA and compare family trees to find a common ancestor. But that is part of the fun and there are many educational opportunities for genetic genealogists today. See posts in DNA, Education, and Speaking schedule categories on this and other genetic genealogy blogs.



1. Randy Boswell, 'Breakthrough DNA study links B.C. woman and 5,500-year-old “grandmother”,' Postmedia News, 6 July 2013 (http://www.canada.com/technology/Breakthrough+study+links+woman+year+grandmother/8622672/story.html : accessed 21 July 2013).
2. Roberta Estes, "5,500 Year Old Grandmother Found Using DNA," DNAeXplained blog, posted 10 July 2013 (http://dna-explained.com/2013/07/10/5500-year-old-grandmother-found-using-dna/ : accessed 21 July 2013).
3. Yinqiu Cui, John Lindo, Cris E. Hughes, Jesse W. Johnson, Alvaro G. Hernandez, et al., "Ancient DNA Analysis of Mid-Holocene Individuals from the Northwest Coast of North America Reveals Different Evolutionary Paths for Mitogenomes," posted 3 July 2013, PLoS ONE 8(7): e66948, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0066948; (http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0066948 : accessed 21 July 2013).
4. "About," Public Library of Science (PLOS) (http://www.plos.org/about/ : accessed 21 July 2013); "a nonprofit publisher, membership, and advocacy organization with a mission to accelerate progress in science and medicine by leading a transformation in research communication." Also "PLOS ONE Journal Information," PLOS ONE (http://www.plosone.org/static/information : accessed 21 July 2013); "... an international, peer-reviewed, open-access, online publication."
5. Yinqiu Cui, et al., "Ancient DNA Analysis of Mid-Holocene Individuals from the Northwest Coast of North America," 5 (mutation), 6 (GenBank assession).
6. "GenBank Overview," GenBank,National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genbank/ : accessed 21 July 2013).


To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "Ancient Mitochondrial DNA, Many Matches Syndrome, Citizen-Scientists and Scientific Data," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 21 July 2013 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2013, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

05 July 2013

July 27, Free DNA Seminar at Houston's Clayton Library

Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research has invited me to do a one-day seminar on genetic genealogy on Saturday, 27 July 2013. Registration will begin in the Carriage House shortly after the library opens at 10:00 a.m. The sessions include:

  • 10:30-12:00 GATA GACC! DNA and Genetic Genealogy Today—Learn where we are today using DNA for genealogy. Maximize Y-DNA, mitochondrial DNA, and autosomal DNA test results to contribute to genealogical research goals.
  • break for lunch on your own
  • 1:30-2:15 Going Nuclear: DNA Discoveries to Trace All Lines of Descent—Learn to link families using autosomal DNA test results from any testing company. Maximize impact on your genealogical research goals. Includes how to use test results such as those from 23andMe, Family Tree DNA, and AncestryDNA.
  • 2:30-3:15 Paternal Lines: Using Y-DNA—Learn details of Y-DNA testing including how to analyze test results. Findings can corroborate your paper trail or place you on the right research path.
  • 3:30-4:15 Maternal Lines: Using Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)—Understand mitochondrial DNA testing with an introduction to analysis of test results. Sample research problems demonstrate how mtDNA can be used by genealogists.

To register for the classes, please call 832-393-2600. All classes are free and open to the public.

Directions to the library can be found here.


To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "July 27, Free DNA Seminar at Houston's Clayton Library," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 5 July 2013 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2013, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved

July 9, Free Webinar on Genetic Genealogy

The Friends of the National Archives-Southeast Region offer a free webinar monthly. This month I will be the speaker covering "DNA and Genetic Genealogy in 2013."

This session is an introduction to the types of DNA we use today for genealogical research: Y-DNA, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), and autosomal DNA (atDNA). We will cover the way each type of DNA is inherited from our ancestors and have a brief discussion on how to analyze the test results once we get them.

If you don't get to attend the free webinar it is archived in the members only section of the website afterwards. Membership is only $25 per year and helps support the mission of the Friends of the National Archives-Southeast Region described on their "About" web page:
FNAS is a volunteer service organization dedicated to serving the research needs of the southeastern population of the United States as well as the preservation activities of the National Archives and Records Administration, Southeast Region, located in Morrow, near Atlanta. This region covers the eight states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Members of FNAS make a great team of amateur and professional genealogists and family historians working together to preserve regional, state, local and family history and pursue genealogical interests related to research, study, and preservation.
It sounds like a worthwhile mission to me as I have ancestors from all of these states.


To cite this blog post:
Debbie Parker Wayne, "July 9, Free Webinar on Genetic Genealogy," Deb's Delvings Blog, posted 5 July 2013 (http://debsdelvings.blogspot.com/ : accessed [date]).

© 2013, Debbie Parker Wayne, CG, CGL, All Rights Reserved