Now that you have read about third-party tools and how to use them, let’s check your knowledge. In this activity, you will use the results of third-party analysis tools to answer questions about an autosomal DNA scenario.
The following questions evaluate your understanding of the various tools available to test-takers who have uploaded their raw data to GEDmatch.
Read the following and, based on your understanding of the tools provided at GEDmatch, answer the discussion questions.
Part A. ‘One-to-one’ Analysis at GEDmatch
A ‘One-to-one’ comparison will identify the DNA segments that Kit ID #A812216 (Blaine T. Bettinger) shares with Kit ID #F365941 (E.G.).
Create a free account at GEDmatch and open the ‘One-to-one’ compare tool. Type in Kit ID #A812216 in the field for kit number 1, and Kit ID #F365941 in the field for kit number 2. Click “Yes” for “Show graphic bar for each Chromosome.” Do not adjust any of the other default settings. Then, click the “Submit” button.
Based on the results of the ‘One-to-one’ comparison, provide short answers to the following questions:
- Question #1: How much total DNA does Kit ID #A812216 (Blaine T. Bettinger) share with Kit ID #F365941 (E.G.)?
- Question #2: How big (in cMs) is the longest segment of DNA shared by Kit ID #A812216 (Blaine T. Bettinger) and Kit ID #F365941 (E.G.)?
- Question #3: On which chromosome does Kit ID #A812216 (Blaine T. Bettinger) and Kit ID #F365941 (E.G.) share the longest segment of DNA?
- Question #4: After referring to the ISOGG Wiki (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site., list four of the most likely relationships between Kit ID #A812216 (Blaine T. Bettinger) and Kit ID #F365941 (E.G.).
- Question #5: If the provider of DNA for Kit ID #A812216 is 39 years old, and the provider of DNA for Kit ID #F365941 is 65 years old, what do you think is the most likely relationship between these individuals? Explain your reasoning.
Part B. ‘Are Your Parents Related?’ Analysis at GEDmatch
It is common for a test-taker’s parents to be recently related, meaning that the parents might share DNA that they could both pass to their children. This is especially true for endogamous populations, which are groups of individuals with a sustained period of intermarriage (e.g., Colonial New England, Ashkenazi Jews, Native American groups, Polynesians). The ‘Are Your Parents Related?’ tool at GEDmatch examines this phenomenon.
Open the ‘Are Your Parents Related?’ tool at GEDmatch. Enter Kit ID #A812216 in the field for “Kit number of child,” and click the “Submit” button.
- Question #6: Based solely on the results of the ‘Are Your Parents Related?’ tool at GEDmatch, are the parents of Kit ID #A812216 (Blaine T. Bettinger) related? Explain your reasoning.
- Question #7: Now use Kit ID #F365941 in the field for “Kit number of child,” and click the “Submit” button. Based solely on the results of the ‘Are Your Parents Related?’ tool at GEDmatch, are the parents of Kit ID #F365941 related? Explain your reasoning