| Mitochondrial DNA |
| Mitochondria are small bacteria - like cell inclusions that function as little energy packets for the cell. Mitochondria have their own DNA, separate from the nuclear DNA where the chromosomes are located. Mitochondria are passed from females to their children, but it is only females who can pass this form of DNA on to the next generation. Therefore this DNA provides an indication of the deep maternal ancestry in the direct female line - back to the original woman ("Eve") who lived in Africa about 140,000 years ago (from whom we are all descended). As with the male Y chromosome, over the generations, and in each geographic location certain sites of "junk DNA" have mutated and these are the markers which are measured and serve to differentiate families and wider groups (e.g., Native American and African). Therefore you should have the same pattern of mitochondrial mutations as your ancestors say 2000 years ago. Mutations could happen at any time, but they would be rare within the period since surnames were adopted. Unfortunately it is often difficult to obtain a clear documentary record of female ancestors since their names (among Europeans) change with each marriage. The usefulness of mitochondrial DNA studies to genealogy is debatable - although it can serve to rule out candidates if their mitochondrial DNA does not match. Here follows the profile of scores inherited from the earliest known maternal ancestor, Janet Ure born about 1680 in Sterlingshire, Scotland. HVR1 & 2 (Hypervariable Regions 1 & 2) Haplogroup = K1b2 (Clan Katrine according to Sykes). HVR1 Mutations: 16224C 16311C 16320T 16519C HVR2 Mutations: 73G; 146C; 195C; 263G; 309.1C; 315.1C; 524.1C; 524.2A The exact classification above is based on someone who has had full molecule testing and who is identical to me on the HVR-2 mutationsl. This pattern is somwhat rare and there is as yet no clear geographical association. The 16320 mutation appears to be a "personal" mutation in my particular lineage - but it is entirely unknown when that mutation occurred. It is interesting to note that according to Sykes, the K haplotype originated about 40,000 years ago on the slopes of the Tyrolean Alps in what is today Italy. Furthermore the "Ice Mummy" affectionately known as "Oetsi", found high in the Tyrolean Alps, and dated to 5300 years before present, also had the K haplotype - but without the 320T mutation . It appears that while individuals with this haplogroup are still found in the proposed area of origin, many migrated north to Northern Europe. The most current research shows that the above motif with 16320 is not seen in Austria, France, Spain or Italy, but is found at the highest concentration in Iceland with 2.46% of the population being K1. The next highest percentage is seen in Orkney (1.32%), and then the Western Isles / Isle of Skye (.81%). It is not clear why the figures should be highest in the former Norse (Viking) colonies. It seems likely that the Icelandic individuals with the above profile were those whose maternal ancestors came from Scotland. However the percentage of K1 for Scotland is only .79. One problem is that there are two entirely different 16320 motifs. A recent study of Ireland along with data from the Haplogroup K Study suggests that a majority of 16320 came from Ireland, but all of these have an entirely different HVR2 pattern. Further work needs to be done before we are able to conclude that my specific motif came from Scotland (e.g., Pictish) or via the Norse Vikings. |
| Anna (McCormack) Dawson (1871-1942) on R Maternl Great Grandmother Eva Fern (Dawson) Williamson (1896 - 1974) on L Maternal Grandmother of David K. Faux from whom he inherited his mitochondrial DNA. |
| mtDNA:Maternal DNA Ancestry |
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| Mary (Bain) McCormack (1838 - 1912) born Westmuir, Glasgow, Scotland died Ancaster Twp, Wentworth County, Ontario, Canada Maternal Great - Great Grandmother of David K. Faux |