The following was written by Pathway Genomics:
As DNA testing opened fascinating new discoveries about personal heritage, Pathway Genomics hired some of the world’s leading genetic genealogists to deliver more precise and detailed information than you ever thought possible.
With modern genomics, you can now look inside your DNA and use the latest discoveries about the human genome to trace the path of your maternal and paternal ancestry back more than 10,000 years! A truly fascinating journey into your personal history!
Instead of digging deep into family and historical records to identify your ancestors and their stories, your genes still carry identities and traits passed on by ancient ancestors who lived way before recorded history. Pathway Genomics’ renowned genetic genealogists use advanced scientific research and analysis to classify you into over 1200 maternal and nearly 250 paternal haplogroups.
Maternal vs. Paternal
Both males and females can test their mtDNA to determine the origin of their maternal line. Note that the mtDNA strictly checks the maternal line, with no influence from any males along that line. Men and women both receive their mtDNA from their mother.
Males can test their Y chromosome to determine the origin of their paternal line. Note that the Y chromosome test strictly checks the paternal line, with no influence from any females along that line.
Females do not receive Y-DNA, and therefore females cannot be tested for the paternal line. If you are a female and would like to know about your paternal line, you would need to have a brother or a male relative from that line tested.
Leading the way
Pathway Genomics hired some of the leading genetic genealogists in the world to design a custom analysis with the most precise and thorough genetic ancestry testing available. Our maternal and paternal tests are 10 times more precise in their definition of haplogroups than other services, with more than 1000 maternal and over 200 paternal haplogroups.
This means that where other services will tell you that you are in Haplogroup J, we can tell you that you are in Haplogroup J2a1a – it is like the difference between saying you drive a Japanese car and saying you drive a 2009 Toyota Camry XLS.By identifying your ancestry more precisely, Pathway Genomics helps you to identify people with whom you are more closely related.
Instead of digging deep into family and historical records to identify your ancestors and their stories, your genes still carry identities and traits passed on by ancient ancestors who lived way before recorded history. Pathway Genomics’ renowned genetic genealogists use advanced scientific research and analysis to classify you into over 1200 maternal and nearly 250 paternal haplogroups.
Maternal vs. Paternal
Both males and females can test their mtDNA to determine the origin of their maternal line. Note that the mtDNA strictly checks the maternal line, with no influence from any males along that line. Men and women both receive their mtDNA from their mother.
Males can test their Y chromosome to determine the origin of their paternal line. Note that the Y chromosome test strictly checks the paternal line, with no influence from any females along that line.
Females do not receive Y-DNA, and therefore females cannot be tested for the paternal line. If you are a female and would like to know about your paternal line, you would need to have a brother or a male relative from that line tested.
Leading the way
Pathway Genomics hired some of the leading genetic genealogists in the world to design a custom analysis with the most precise and thorough genetic ancestry testing available. Our maternal and paternal tests are 10 times more precise in their definition of haplogroups than other services, with more than 1000 maternal and over 200 paternal haplogroups.
This means that where other services will tell you that you are in Haplogroup J, we can tell you that you are in Haplogroup J2a1a – it is like the difference between saying you drive a Japanese car and saying you drive a 2009 Toyota Camry XLS.By identifying your ancestry more precisely, Pathway Genomics helps you to identify people with whom you are more closely related.
- Some services use STRs, not SNPs. STRs are an older, less comprehensive test for genetic ancestry.
Not only will we tell you the location of your ancestral beginnings, but we’ll provide you with their migratory path on our interactive LifePath map. See where your ancestors originated and how they migrated around the globe.
Genetic mutations that naturally occur in our distant ancestral lines provide information that can also help you understand your recent ancestry as well.
Dig deep into your ethnic origins
We’ll provide you with the most up-to-date Ad Mixture information available on the market today, enabling you to understand your ethnic makeup (e.g. Indian, European, African American, Asian, etc.) We can also tell you if you are related to famous people like Thomas Jefferson, Genghis Khan, Marie Antoinette, or many others.
Genetic mutations that naturally occur in our distant ancestral lines provide information that can also help you understand your recent ancestry as well.
Dig deep into your ethnic origins
We’ll provide you with the most up-to-date Ad Mixture information available on the market today, enabling you to understand your ethnic makeup (e.g. Indian, European, African American, Asian, etc.) We can also tell you if you are related to famous people like Thomas Jefferson, Genghis Khan, Marie Antoinette, or many others.
You can find more information at http://www.pathway.com.
The language this company is using (making a lot of claims without any REAL information) makes me REAL suspicious. Viewing their website, I noted they compared their testing to Ancestry DNA, which is known for its less than stellar performance (especially in regards to haplogroup assignments).
Caveat emptor!
Posted by: Raymond T. Wing | March 30, 2009 at 08:36 PM
I agree with Raymond, particularly about "language" -- Here's a quote for their web site: "Is this kit for yourself or for somone else?" Not reassuring.
I am aware that exist tests for 12, 25, 37, 43, or 67 Marker Matches. I could not find where the Pathway folks disclose how many markers they are testing for. I think this information would be important to a prospective client.
Happy Dae·
http://ShoeStringGenealogy.com
Posted by: Dae Powell | March 31, 2009 at 12:29 AM
The claims on this site are somewhat inaccurate and could be easily be miscontrued by a majority of first time Y-chromosome test buyers.
In the FAQ (at http://www.pathway.com/more_info/ancestry_test#q4) it claims that "The Pathway Genomics DNA test offers the most precise and comprehensive measurements of genetic ancestry available today." one could argue about this, but what's true is that this is not the most useful Y-chromosome test test to take if you are a man trying to identify your potential shared ancestry with other holders of your surname.
The company admits this, by implication, later on when they ask "How does knowing the haplogroups help with genealogy?" and say that "Knowing your haplogroup means that you share a common ancestor with someone else in the same haplogroup. While the common ancestor will be from 10,000+ years ago, the haplogroups can be used to confirm relatedness to more recent ancestors." They can sometimes, but they don't generally.
In plain language, their test is not as effective a tool to identify those shared ancestors as that offered by the leading test companies that market their Y-chromosome STR tests to family historians, some of which offer additional facilities to assist surname project managers. It's just (yet) another 'deep ancestry' test with, as far as I can see, no facilty to let you compare results with other people.
Chris
Posted by: Chris Pomery | March 31, 2009 at 03:20 AM
From the language on their site (where they basically dismiss STR markers as outdated) they apparently do not even test them.
Instead they test for a variety of SNP markers. I believe their lab is run in a similar manner to the 23andme & deCodeMe labs. Instead of methodically testing each marker, they use a newer technology (either the Illumina Chip or something similar) which scans over the markers.
There are Pros and Cons to this new technology (much quicker and cheaper, but more prone to no-calls).
As I inferred before, instead of highlighting this specific information, they tend to gloss over the details, mentioning only the benefits, rather than the risks.
Posted by: Raymond T. Wing | March 31, 2009 at 06:06 AM
It appears from their own information that they are only testing SNPs to identify Haplogroups, so without STRs. Their test is virtually worthless for genealogists interested in the most recent 400 years or so and focused on ancestors with names. If you read between the lines, Pathway's niche seems to be only Deep Ancestry.
Jim Bartlett
Posted by: Jim Bartlett | March 31, 2009 at 08:06 AM
Which company do you recommend, if any?
Posted by: BeanyCecil | March 31, 2009 at 09:44 AM
I started with the 12-marker test for the Genographic Project. FamilyTreeDNA, who performed those tests and still has my samples, has since given me discounts for upgrades and every reason to trust them and stay with them.
But I'm looking for a second opinion - to confirm FTDNA's results. From your comments above it appears this is not the place to find it.
Having said that, suggestions, anyone? Price does play a part, because I can't afford to pay the bonuses at Bells and Whistles, Inc., so please offer a reasonable and trusted alternative.
Thanks much...
bimjim
Posted by: Jim Lynch | March 31, 2009 at 02:23 PM
I used DNA Heritage as they tested over 100 SNPs (which they list) in the one test and the price seemed very reasonable. There was a slight delay getting my results but they came through and I've been happy with them and reading around the subject. They do STR/genealogy testing too.
Posted by: Steve Johnson | April 01, 2009 at 06:49 AM
FamilyTreeDNA.com does everything that this new company promises and more. They have the deep SNP testing in addition to STR testing and the full Genome testing for females (mtDNA) and partial Genome for males (y-DNA).Partial because it is so vast.
Posted by: Julia French Wood | April 01, 2009 at 03:23 PM
Hi, my name is Ed MacBean. I am the VP, Product Management at Pathway Genomics and I wanted to respond to some of the comments and questions posted here. We appreciate your enthusiastic response and your thoughtful comments, and we look forward to continued dialogue about our product offering. As an immediate thanks for your feedback, we want to offer a discount code for anyone interested in trying out our service. Enter coupon code PGDNA50 and save $50.
The test and our laboratory: We have consulted with some of the leading genetic genealogists in the world to select the most comprehensive list of useful SNPs for haplogroup and subclade definition and genetic ancestry. We analyze more than 2,000 mitochondrial SNPs and more than 400 Y-DNA SNPs. These SNPs allow us to place individuals into more than 1,000 maternal and into more than 200 paternal haplogroups and subclades,
The Pathway approach provides the most comprehensive test for SNP-based analysis to the public available to date. We will make the list of specific SNPs that are included on our ancestry test available to individuals along with their results.
SNPs vs. STRs: You are correct that for recent ancestral comparison, there are advantages to STR analysis. However, we feel that detailed SNP analysis and highly refined haplogroup/subclade identification is a key first step in identifying people with whom you have a possibility of being genetically related.
The language: We appreciate the comments about the vagueness in the language on the site. As an explanation, we did not want to overstate the information on the site until our methods have been validated with real data from customers like yourselves – i.e. don’t overpromise and under deliver. We will certainly post more specifics in time, and greatly appreciate any feedback and insights from this group of thought leaders about exactly what you would like to know.
For the specific comment about “Is this kit for yourself or someone else”, many people buy these kits as gifts for friends and families, and this is an important step in our processes to ensure that the information remains private to the individual taking the test. Security of individual genetic information is a key tenet of our business.
Posted by: Ed MacBean | April 02, 2009 at 12:41 PM
Pathways Genomics need to update their website - it looks abandonded.
Photo images dropped off the site some month ago, information not updated and the Health and Ancestry results pages have been 'under constuction' for many months as well.
Makes you wonder.
Posted by: Wondering | October 26, 2009 at 07:36 AM