Ethnoancestry vs Family Tree DNA

[Arch Yeomans]

I'm going to probably start a genetics lab war here, but here goes...

First question: How many markers are there to test on the Y chromosome?

Second question: Why does Ethnoancestry have tests for the following markers and Family Tree DNA does not? The following markers as follows:
DYS505
DYS522
DYS533
DYS556
DYS575
DYS589
DYS549
DYS636
DYS638
DYS494

Third question: Is there any lab out there that tests for all Y chromosome markers?

Fourth question: Which lab is the most recognized and/or highly regarded for their research? Incl. The most advanced, etc.

[Arch Yeomans]

Some answers

I'm going to probably start a genetics lab war here, but here goes...

First question: How many markers are there to test on the Y chromosome?

Second question: Why does Ethnoancestry have tests for the following markers and Family Tree DNA does not? The following markers as follows:
DYS505
DYS522
DYS533
DYS556
DYS575
DYS589
DYS549
DYS636
DYS638
DYS494

Third question: Is there any lab out there that tests for all Y chromosome markers?

Fourth question: Which lab is the most recognized and/or highly regarded for their research? Incl. The most advanced, etc.

Answer to question #1. Approximately 1400 genes/markers/alleles(variations)on the Y chromosome, of only which 45 are active.

Basically put the Y chromosome is probably dying off , albeit very slowly (guesstimate of 15 million years to go).

The Testis Determinant Factor or SRY is the region tested. I think its tested region or loci is on the q arm (the tiny arm) of the Y chromosome at 11.3; though I'm not quite sure how many markers have been identified in this region.

[Rick]

I'm going to probably start a genetics lab war here, but here goes...

First question: How many markers are there to test on the Y chromosome?

Second question: Why does Ethnoancestry have tests for the following markers and Family Tree DNA does not? The following markers as follows:
DYS505
DYS522
DYS533
DYS556
DYS575
DYS589
DYS549
DYS636
DYS638
DYS494

Third question: Is there any lab out there that tests for all Y chromosome markers?

Fourth question: Which lab is the most recognized and/or highly regarded for their research? Incl. The most advanced, etc.

Arch, I posed your first question to the Rootsweb DNA-Genealogy list this summer. Crediting the responses I got there, it seem there may be about 160 to 200 useful STRs on the Y-chromosome. As of that time, about 118 of them were offered by the various testing companies. I believe the 67-marker test by FTDNA was the most offered by any single company. The addition of the new DNA-Fingerprint markers surely keeps FTDNA in the first position. Cheers, Rick

[R2-D2]

I believe that the ten markers that EA tests for that FTDNA doesn't will be available at FTDNA in the coming months.

[vineviz]

First question: How many markers are there to test on the Y chromosome?

More than 400 STRs and more than 400 SNPs

http://ncfs.ucf.edu/ystar/ystar.html

http://www.isogg.org/tree/ISOGG_YDNA_SNP_Index.html

Second question: Why does Ethnoancestry have tests for the following markers and Family Tree DNA does not? The following markers as follows:

In part BECAUSE no one else offers them.

Third question: Is there any lab out there that tests for all Y chromosome markers?

No.

Fourth question: Which lab is the most recognized and/or highly regarded for their research? Incl. The most advanced, etc.

Family Tree DNA has a history of expanding its STR offerings more quickly than most other labs, and its current catalog is pretty formidable. Ethnoancestry has a history of expanding its SNP offerings more quickly than most other labs.

[Arch Yeomans]

Questions posted

Arch, I posed your first question to the Rootsweb DNA-Genealogy list this summer. Crediting the responses I got there, it seem there may be about 160 to 200 useful STRs on the Y-chromosome. As of that time, about 118 of them were offered by the various testing companies. I believe the 67-marker test by FTDNA was the most offered by any single company. The addition of the new DNA-Fingerprint markers surely keeps FTDNA in the first position. Cheers, Rick

Wow... I can't even keep track of my posts from a day ago, and they go off on tangents most of the time.

Useful STRs due to the fact they don't recombine, correct? It appears there are a lot more than 118 STRs from the Human Genome Project.

I'm also wondering for autosomal testing if they're testing the pseudo-autosomal regions of the Y and/or X chromosome; or are they actually testing other chromosomes besides X and Y.

[Rick]

Wow... I can't even keep track of my posts from a day ago, and they go off on tangents most of the time.

Useful STRs due to the fact they don't recombine, correct? It appears there are a lot more than 118 STRs from the Human Genome Project.

I'm also wondering for autosomal testing if they're testing the pseudo-autosomal regions of the Y and/or X chromosome; or are they actually testing other chromosomes besides X and Y.

Well I went back and read the entire thread concerning this question. "Useful" appears to mean the markers are easy to measure and are polymorphic (thus potentially informative). I would assume not recombining would be a criterion too. Also, I note that another response I received claims 219 useful y chromosome str markers. And, the current count appears to stand at 132, not 118, as I stated. Here's a link to the whole thread:

http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/GENEALOGY-DNA/2006-06/1149792206