How do I interpret my raw data?

Your Autosomal Raw Data

Your raw data file contains a list of all SNPs, or genetic markers, you have tested positive for. This means that the file contains a very long list of all the SNPs we have found when running your DNA against our testing chip.

The information isn't particularly easy to read unless you have studied genetics or have a computer system that can translate the data into a more user-friendly format - such as our portal.

This file does not contain any imputed markers.  Genotype imputation is a technique which geneticists use to make an educated guess about what SNPs are likely to be in a DNA sample, but which haven't been specifically tested for.

The file contains several tab-delimited columns (meaning that the data on each line is separated by a tab, not space or a comma) of information.

A random snippet of a raw data file

The first column gives the rsID (Reference SNP cluster ID) - this is an accession number used by researchers and databases to refer to specific SNPs. This is effectively a universal name for the SNP you have tested positive for.

The second column gives the chromosome number where the SNP is found, and the third column gives the position on the chromosome - this is how far along the chromosome that specific SNP is found.

The final column is your genotype. Your genotype is written using the two letters of the two nucleotide bases at a particular position, such as AA or CT.

All DNA is made up of several nucleotide bases – adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T). Your DNA is made of two strands of nucleotide bases that bind together and coil into a double helix. This base pair makes up your genotype at that particular position and is expressed in your data files such as AA or CT.

If you have a " -- " in the genotype column of your data file, this means that we could not detect your genotype variant at this SNP when we tested your DNA.

Your mtDNA and/or Y DNA file:

Your mitochondrial and (if you're genetically male) your Y DNA data file will contain a list of DNA markers that make up your mt or Y genetic signature.

We will provide you with the most common name for a particular genetic marker and any alternative names that this marker may have - for example, if you have one row of your file like this "F83/M1185/PF5861" - this means that you have tested positive for marker "F83" which is also known as "M1185" and "PF5861".

Please note that we do not include genetic markers you have not tested positive for in these files.

We have used these positive markers to assign you your haplogroup and haplotype (if applicable). Each haplogroup has a defining marker and, often, a set of supporting markers. We search for which defining and supporting markers you have in order to assign you your haplogroup - we always read as far down the mt and/or Y DNA phylogenetic tree as we can within scientific reason.

You may find that you possess markers for haplogroups or haplotype lower down the tree than the one we have assigned you.

Although you may have markers further down the tree, they will not appear reliably at each level/branch of the tree.  In order to be certain about your haplogroup, we need to see the marker for each level in your DNA.

Therefore, if you do have markers for a haplogroup further down the tree than the one we have assigned you, but you do not have any markers for the haplogroups above it, then we are not able to reliably call you this haplogroup, and will assign one that is higher up the tree.

Please note:

We test for SNPs, not STRs, so your raw data file from us may look different to that of other providers.

This genotype data is not suitable for clinical/medical research or diagnosis.

The user assumes all responsibility for the security of this file - please refer to the Living DNA website for more information.