- New Services, Including Autosomal, Y-Chromosome and X-Chromosome Tests Provide Analysis of Additional Genetic Markers and Offer More Complete Genealogical History
- Tests Assist in Providing an Assessment of Family History Going Back Multiple Generations
- Amateur and Professional Genealogists Benefit from Company’s Deep Genetic and Genealogical Expertise to Confirm Identifiable Connections on a Family Tree
SALT LAKE CITY–(BUSINESS WIRE) – GeneTree.com today announced the availability of new specialty DNA tests that assist in providing the most complete and accurate account of an individual’s family history.
“Our primary goal is to be able to help people discover how they fit into the fabric of humankind, and these new specialty tests allow us to offer even more options of discovery”
The new series of services offered by GeneTree.com provides more targeted genetic information and allows users who have come up against obstacles in their family history research the opportunity to explore specific answers to genealogical questions.
The new specialty tests include:
- Extended Y-Chromosome Haplotype, which provides additional markers with a higher mutation rate that can be used to clarify shared paternal ancestry.
- X-Chromosome, which traces modified pathways for both the maternal and paternal lines and can be very helpful in specific relationship questions.
- Autosomal STR, which can provide genealogical information going back up to five generations.
- Y-Chromosome SNP test for Haplogroup Classification, which provides an exact assignment to specific ethnic groups or geographical locations.
“Our new specialty services are designed to help fill in the gaps and locate the missing puzzle pieces in an individual’s genealogical profile,” said Scott Woodward, GeneTree.com’s president. “Knowing which questions need answers beforehand will help us make the most out of the genetic investigation.”
Each of the tests works in addition to the Enhanced Maternal Lineage Test (mtDNA HVR-1,2,3) and the Enhanced Paternal Lineage Test (Y-DNA 46 marker) already offered by the company. GeneTree.com’s specialized team of geneticists and family history experts are able to help an individual determine which test will be most valuable to help progress their family history research.
John Cox, a family historian in Twin Falls, Idaho, found success using the autosomal STR test to confirm family relationships as close as three generations in the past. His family’s traditional genealogical research had uncovered two different records for his paternal grandmother, each listing a different name for her father. Cox consulted with a GeneTree.com specialist, who recommended the autosomal test, and helped him determine which living family members needed to have their DNA tested in order to accurately reconstruct the DNA of his ancestors, which ultimately confirmed the identity of his great grandfather.
“For years, my extended family has debated the identity of my biological great grandfather because the records we had weren’t entirely clear,” Cox said. “I had asked a number of companies the same question, knowing there had to be a way to find the answer to my question using DNA. GeneTree was the first company to offer any hope. Without their help and expert DNA analysis, I don’t think I would have been able to confirm the answer to this long-standing family question, which gives me additional clarity as I continue my family history research.”
“Our primary goal is to be able to help people discover how they fit into the fabric of humankind, and these new specialty tests allow us to offer even more options of discovery,” added Woodward. “Being able to test for additional genetic markers lets us explore a person’s history in more detail, and ultimately paint a richer, more accurate picture of an individual’s personal family history.”
GeneTree.com is a wholly owned subsidiary of the non-profit Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation (SMGF), which has created the world’s largest repository of correlated genetic and genealogical information, and has compiled a database of more than 100,000 DNA samples from more than 170 countries. These genealogical records link customers to nearly 9 million ancestors and living relatives.
About GeneTree
GeneTree (www.genetree.com), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the non-profit Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, is a leading provider of genetic and family history services that unlock peoples’ ancestral legacy. Powered by the world’s largest, most comprehensive repository of genetic and genealogical information, GeneTree’s best-in-class genetic testing, genetic genealogy consulting and family history research enables individuals and extended families alike to dramatically extend their families.
About Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation
The Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation (SMGF) is a non-profit research organization that has created the world’s largest repository of correlated genetic and genealogical information. The SMGF database currently contains information about more than eight million ancestors through linked DNA samples and pedigree charts from more than 170 countries, approximately 90 percent of the nations of the world. The foundation’s purpose is to foster a greater sense of identity combined with a sense of belonging among all people by showing how closely we are connected as members of a single human family. For more information about the foundation’s free, publicly available database, visit www.smgf.org.
