DNA Testing Explained
DNA testing can help you learn more about your ancestry, discover lost relatives, or put your family tree together. And nowadays, you can take a DNA test from the comfort of your home, thanks to the many easy-to-use DNA testing kits.
These testing kits have made DNA analysis simple – all you need to do is submit a cheek swab or saliva sample, register, and wait a few weeks for the results.
But DNA testing isn’t magic, and it’s not a perfect science, either. DNA testing platforms rely heavily on their existing database for results and matches – because genetic tests work on matching your DNA to that of others. So if these databases have limited information, the results can be skewed.
For example, if you’re from North America and use a platform with a Europe-centric database, the results might be unreliable. But if you consult a North American-centric database (like Ancestry’s), you’ll likely end up with better results.
So if you’re looking to learn more about where you came from, or want to discover secret cousins, then taking an at home DNA test can be helpful (and fun). But you need to be careful about which kit you choose.
Recommended DNA Testing Kits
These are some of the most recommended DNA Testing Kits on the market:
What is DNA Testing (how does it work)?
DNA testing is used to learn more about your genetics, revealing information about your body, ancestry, and health.
DNA testing is also known as genetic testing, and the assessment can look for changes in your genes, chromosomes, and proteins.
Nowadays, performing a DNA test is quite easy. You can take your pick from various kits and take an at home DNA test. Afterward, you submit a sample to the lab and wait on the ancestry DNA test results.
Most DNA tests require a cheek-swab sample, and some ask for a saliva sample instead. The cheek swab sampling is easier than the saliva sample, which requires you to spit into a vial and fill it up. The typical process for DNA testing with these genealogy kits is:
- You fill in answers to a few questions
- You place an order for the kit
- After the equipment arrives, you collect your sample and register it (you must register the sample, or else you won’t be able to access it later)
- You send the kit back and wait for the results to appear on the online portal.
Why consider doing a DNA Test?
If you’re interested in learning more about your ancestry, a DNA test is a good option. Many modern DNA testing kits offer pretty reliable results.
Most DNA platforms, including Ancestry, Living DNA, and my heritage, help you discover relatives through their software. After you submit and register your sample, you can initiate a search on the platforms.
As more people register, the platforms’ databases are updated and the software searches for DNA matches. The process is anonymous (your contact details are hidden), and you can opt out at any time. If a relative matches with you, they can message you through the platform.
Since the relative matching depends on the database, some genealogy DNA testing platforms might suit your needs better than others. For example, Ancestry has the largest database overall with a focus on North America, whereas LivingDNA’s is more specific to Europe.
What can you expect to find out?
DNA tests reveal genealogy information about your ancestry, including reports of your ethnicity and details about where your ancestors lived. Some platforms show location maps of the regions and countries where your ancestors resided.
However, it’s important to note that specific results will vary depending on your chromosomes. Both men and women can learn about their patrilineal and matrilineal lineage through autosomal DNA tests, which are less reliable and do not trace your lineage far back.
However, mtDNA and Y-DNA tests reveal more comprehensive and accurate ancestry data, but they rely on chromosomes. So women, who have the XX chromosome, can only track their matrilineal line (through mtDNA testing), whereas men, who have the XY chromosome, can trace both their patrilineal and matrilineal lines (through mtDNA and Y-DNA testing).
Your results thus depend on your assigned sex at birth, but females can ask their brother or father to take a Y-DNA test for them to gain more information.
In addition to details about your ancestry, many DNA testing kits also reveal information about your health and wellness (like LivingDNA’s wellness kit). The tests may disclose details about possible genetic health risks, your carrier status, and reports about your hair loss.
Types of DNA testing
Although there are several types of DNA testing, the three most common ones are; mitochondrial (mtDNA), autosomal, and Y-DNA.
Autosomal DNA is the type of DNA that people are most familiar with. The DNA is approximately 50% from your biological mother and 50% from your biological father. Now, each of your parents also has their autosomal DNA made up from their respective parents. Thus, on average, each person has 16 grandparents who contributed to their autosomal DNA.
This means that an autosomal ancestry DNA kit can reveal details about your entire DNA family tree. These tests can also show you relative matches by showing you relatives that have close DNA matches, which is useful for people who are adopted or have little knowledge of their family information.
But, it’s important to note that DNA testing platforms use different algorithms to determine your autosomal DNA composition, and they aren’t entirely accurate. Fortunately, most DNA testing providers also use the more accurate mtDNA and Y-DNA analysis to give you more reliable results.
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) refers to DNA that comes from the mitochondria, the powerhouse of each of your body’s cells. Unlike autosomal DNA, mitochondrial DNA exclusively comes from your mother. So, mtDNA can only reveal specific information about your matrilineal lineage – i.e., about your grandmother, great grandmother, etc.
Although an mtDNA ancestry DNA kit only helps you trace a segment of your matrilineal lineage, you can learn information that dates back much further in history (as compared to what you can learn from autosomal DNA). This is because mtDNA almost never changes, except for when mutations occur.
In fact, these genetic mutations are how your ancestry is tracked through mtDNA. If two people’s DNA has the same mutation, they share matrilineal lineage. These two people then fall in the same ‘haplogroup’.
Contrary to mtDNA, Y-DNA testing only gives you specific information about your patrilineal lineage. It reveals information about your father, grandfather, great grandfather, etc., but not about your mother and grandmother.
Moreover, only biological males can take Y-DNA tests, because biological females do not have Y chromosomes. And like mtDNA, Y-DNA does not change, so you can get access to ancestral information that stretches further back.
Ready to take a DNA test?
Genetic tests can help you put together a DNA family tree, connect with lost relatives, and discover genetic health risks. And while ancestry DNA kit tests are not 100% accurate, you can choose one with the right database and testing type to get more reliable genealogy results.
Till now, we’ve discussed the main workings of genetic tests – like the different sample types, variations in types of DNA, and the information that they reveal. We also covered how databases may differ in their reliability.
But before you choose a DNA testing kit, here are some other important considerations to keep in mind:
Privacy. Some DNA testing databases share your data with research centers and pharmaceutical companies. So if privacy is important to you, make sure you look into how each provider uses your information.
For example, LivingDNA promises not to share your data externally, making them privacy-friendly genetic tests, and Nebula Genomics uses block-chain security to keep your data extra safe.
Ease of use. Some DNA testing kits provide very comprehensive information and reports, making them better suited for genealogists and people with expertise in genealogy. For example, FamilyTreeDNA provides exceptionally detailed information, and Nebula Genomics provides in-depth scientific reports, so these platforms are best for experts.
Value for money. Some DNA testing kits seem cheaper than others because of a difference in pricing tiers, so make sure you check each kit’s offering before you buy. For example, some kits only offer autosomal testing at their first pricing tier, and they charge you more for mtDNA and Y-DNA tests, while other brands offer affordable 3-in-1 pricing.
If you keep these points in mind, you should be all set. We hope you find what you’re looking for from your genetic test!