|
What
is a haplogroup?
A
haplogroup is defined as all the
male descendants of the single person who first showed a
particular mutation, called a SNP. These special mutations are
extremely rare, and identify a group of people over a period
of tens of thousands of years. Your haplogroup assignment indicates which part
of the phylogenetic tree of male
Homo Sapiens you descend from.
Why
do haplogroups
change?
The
haplogroup network is still evolving
as the world?s anthropologists discover more SNP
mutations, which define more haplogroup branches and help us to
understand how the haplogroups are
interrelated. Haplogroups are named
based on how they fit within the haplogroup tree. As we learn more about
how haplogroups are connected, and
discover more SNPs, haplogroup names will be adjusted
accordingly.
Does
this mean my test result was wrong or
inconclusive?
No.
The results of your Y-DNA test are definite and are not
subject to change. If you have had additional testing to
determine your haplogroup, your SNP
test results likewise are definite and are not subject to
change. The only thing that has changed is the name of the
haplogroup to which you belong,
which changes as our understanding of the family tree of
mankind grows.
Why
is my haplogroup with the Genographic Project different from the one
with Family Tree DNA?
Recently,
researchers led by Dr. Hammer, Family Tree DNA?s Chief
Scientist, published the newly updated Y chromosome haplogroup tree in Genome Research.
This paper recommends a number of changes in haplogroup nomenclature. Some
organizations will adjust to this nomenclature sooner than
others, as this may represent significant changes in their
database, website, and display to customers.
As of May
5th, 2008, Family Tree DNA has adjusted its haplogroup names to match the newer
nomenclature recommended by this research. The Genographic Project will make a similar
transition in late 2008.
You may view the older and
newer Y-Chromosome Phylogenetic
Trees at the links below:
|
