“Relative Genetics, the leading provider of DNA testing services for individuals and families researching ancestry, today [September 19, 2006] announced the availability of enhanced mitochondrial DNA testing services that dramatically improve the accuracy and reach of maternal lineage information.
“Mitochondrial DNA is passed exclusively from mothers to their children, providing a dependable way to trace maternal ancestries for both men and women. The most accurate way to distinguish the genetic profile of one individual’s maternal lineage from another’s and to identify deep ancestral origins is through analysis of genetic sequences from three “hypervariable” regions of the mitochondrial DNA. The new Relative Genetics mitochondrial DNA testing includes analysis of these three regions, adding great detail and precision to the results. Relative Genetics already offers the industry’s leading Y-chromosome DNA testing services for paternal lineage research.
“In addition, Relative Genetics has enhanced its mitochondrial DNA sequencing and Y-chromosome genotyping services by including a haplogroup predictor with each test, at no extra cost. This analysis uses the results of DNA tests — mitochondrial DNA, Y-chromosome or both — to assign individuals to a haplogroup that can identify their deep ancestral origins and may detect geographic origins going back tens of thousands of years.”
