Full mtDNA results in

[Renegade6008]

I've received my matches from Full mtDNA and I have 5 matches for HVR1, HVR2, and Coding Regions at a GD=0.

Can someome tell me if this is significant, unusual or normal, and if these matches should be contacted or probably too distantly related to matter.

I've joined two Hg projects and Geni, and no one can seem to explain or add information to where I would have a clue what my results mean. (Seems the yDNA projects are more informative and helpful than mtDNA projects)

I've tried to contact one match and received no response, so I'm wondering if a GD=0 is not worth pursuing.

[GenealogyKeeper]

Hi Renegade,

An exact match, genetic distance of zero, with a full mitochondrial sequence (FMS) means that you and those GD=0 matches are on the same maternal line. Somewhere above you on your maternal line (your mother to grandmother to ggrandmother...) you share a common ancestor. The trick is finding that ancestor.

Build out the paper trail for your maternal line as far back as you can. Make sure to list the furthest back woman that you identify on your mother's line as you Most Distant Maternal Relative . Include what you know about where she was from, when she was born, etc. Whatever you know that will help your matches on that line find how she fits in their maternal line.

The common relative for each of your matches is in genealogical time, but may be back further than your paper tree goes.

This is similar to how you work the YDNA line, except you don't have the surname to help you on the maternal line. The inheritance pattern is also different. The mother passes her mtDNA on to all her children, but only her daughters can pass it on to their children.

Be patient with your matches, sometimes people have a lot going on in their life and are slow to respond.

Good luck!

[keigh]

One easy way to check and see how close a 0 match might be is to do an autosomal DNA test, like the Family Finder here at FTDNA and encourage your mtDNA matches to do the same. If any have tested at Ancestry, you can all download your autosomal tests over at GEDmatch for a comparison.

You might show up as being closely enough to be called cousins. Then you have a chance of finding your common maternal ancestress.

However, even 0 matches might be far enough up the tree that a current genealogical connection doesn't exist. I have several 0 step mtDNA matches and none of our FF tests make a connection between us. Not a close cousin in the bunch. Trying to find a common ancestress from a couple of thousand years ago is difficult (impossible).

[georgian1950]

Renegade,

Just curious what you mtDNA haplogroup is if you can say.

Thanks,

Jack

[darroll]

We had had very close matches at a 0.

My cousins girlfriends son (adopted) is a 0.

MTDNA is the best test out there.

Oh my long lost Uncle too.

[Renegade6008]

Thank you everyone. I will check my matches against my FF matches, particularly against my mother's FF matches.

Originally Posted by georgian1950

Renegade,

Just curious what you mtDNA haplogroup is if you can say.

Thanks,

Jack

Jack, my Haplogroup is H11a2

[georgian1950]

Originally Posted by Renegade6008

Thank you everyone. I will check my matches against my FF matches, particularly against my mother's FF matches.



Jack, my Haplogroup is H11a2

Thanks,

I'll see if I can find any H11a2's in my matches and share them with you.

Jack

[GST]

Originally Posted by georgian1950

Thanks,

I'll see if I can find any H11a2's in my matches and share them with you.

Jack

H11a2 was estimated to be about 5500 years old in the Behar et al 2012 paper. If you are H11a2 with extra mutations that you share with your exact matches, the common maternal ancestor would be more recent than that date. If you are generic H11a2 with no extra mutations, your exact matches could be related as much as 5500 years ago.

[Renegade6008]

Originally Posted by GST

H11a2 was estimated to be about 5500 years old in the Behar et al 2012 paper. If you are H11a2 with extra mutations that you share with your exact matches, the common maternal ancestor would be more recent than that date. If you are generic H11a2 with no extra mutations, your exact matches could be related as much as 5500 years ago.

On my Results screen it shows 8 "Extra Mutations". Is that to what you refer?

If so, would a GD=0 match under HVR1, HVR2, and Coding Region be a match including those extra mutations?

[GST]

Originally Posted by Renegade6008

On my Results screen it shows 8 "Extra Mutations". Is that to what you refer?

If so, would a GD=0 match under HVR1, HVR2, and Coding Region be a match including those extra mutations?

Yes, but you should ignore some of these that are extremely common and are not significant, including 309.1C, 315.1C, 522.1A, 522.2C, C16519T. FTDNA excludes 309 and 315 when evaluating the GD, but they do count 16519 and also insertions/deletions at 522 as steps. FTDNA also counts heteroplasmies as 1 or sometimes 2 steps in the GD, but in most cases I would also ignore the heteroplasmies.

If you ignore the list above and any heteroplasmies, that will give you a better estimate of the number of extra mutations that are significant.