Explore your mtDNA Maternal (Female) Ancestry Today

How much information can it provide?

For the mtDNA maternal ancestry test, the amount of ancestral information that can be revealed depends on the results established from testing the DNA. An individual that has a very old DNA lineage can usually be identified to a continental region such as Western Europe. Younger lineages can be identified to more specific regions, such as Southwest North America. Very young mtDNA lineages could provide even more detailed, population specific information.

DNA Worldwide examines multiple regions of your mtDNA to provide the most information possible about your maternal lineage. This involves a three-step process:

1. The laboratory will sequence a very informative region of the mitochondrial genome to act as a roadmap in helping determine the geographic origin of DNA lineage;

2. Based on this mtDNA sequence, the lab will perform additional SNP DNA tests to confirm the haplogroup assignment, and to identify regional or population specific markers within the haplogroup;

3. Once DNA Worldwide has ascertained the haplogroup assignment, and characterized the particular haplotype (lineage), the lab will analyze the sequence against the DNA databases to identify the closest bio-geographic matches.

The mtDNA Haplogroups:

1. L1, L2, and L3 - Found in Sub-Saharan African lineages.

2. H, I, J, K, T, U, V, W and X - Found in nearly all lineages from Europe, North African and Western Asian Caucasians.

3. A, B, C, D, E, F, G and M - Found in the majority of the Asian, Oceania and Native American lineages.

The story behind your Mitochondria DNA (Female Ancestry)

Mitochondria have their origins a long time in the past. It's generally considered that more than a billion years ago, animal cells engulfed photosynthetic bacteria. This was a fortunate association as the cell could provide a protective environment and the bacterium could provide energy. Thus a symbiotic relationship came about.

The evolution of mtDNA

Inside this bacterium was a circular strand of DNA, as virtually all bacteria have. Through evolution, many of the genes (the sections of DNA that help to form proteins) were transferred to the nuclear DNA, which resulted in the shortening of the DNA within this bacterium, which we'll now call a mitochondrion. This mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is still circular but now comprises only very few genes. In humans, the total length of the mtDNA strand is 16,568 bases, compared with about 3 billion in our chromosomes. Humans have one of the smallest mtDNA strands, which is probably testament to the number of genes that have transferred to the nuclear DNA.

Mitochondria DNA's main purpose is to produce energy

These mitochondria are surprisingly abundant. An average human cell contains many thousands and occupies a large volume of the cell. The main job of mitochondria is to produce energy and they are very efficient at doing this so that when we run up a flight of stairs, just enough energy is produced. However, it's the way that the mitochondria, and more importantly the mtDNA inside, is passed on to the next generation that is of most interest to genealogists.

mtDNA Inheritance Pattern Pedigree

In one quick sentence, females pass mtDNA onto their offspring. Therefore, all people will have received mtDNA from their mother and in turn, those mothers received their mtDNA copies from their mothers too. In this way, the path of the mtDNA has traveled down the generations through the direct maternal line.

Squares or circles with the yellow dots represent relatives that share the same mtDNA. All individuals with a yellow dot will have identical mtDNA profiles.

For example, if the female in generation one (on top) had a Native American mtDNA haplotype, then all the other descendants (male or female) with a direct female-to-female connection to her would also have the same Native American mtDNA haplotype (i.e., their mtDNA would be identical).