Highland Clans and the L21 mutation

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Andrew Lancaster
Posts: 69
Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2009 4:37 pm

Re: Highland Clans and the L21 mutation

Post by Andrew Lancaster »

R. Livingstone wrote:While the DNA project is very interesting to me, I feel perhaps a bit thick when reading forum posts on the subject. I tried looking up “L21 mutation” using Google – but only found descriptions of when and where it developed – not what it is or how it is discernible. I purchased a layman’s book on DNA (“Genetics for Dummies”), and at least I now understand what an STR stutter is – but I was very disappointed that the book completely skips the subject of gene mapping, and only briefly touches on mutations. Does anyone have a recommendation of a book with a more thorough overview of the subject? (I don’t mind if it is technical in nature – but please bear in mind my background is in the physical, rather than biological sciences).
Hi!

This is very understandable. L21 has only recently been discovered, and to be honest it is still not clear what it "means". What we can say so far is like this:

Most Western European men are in a male line called R1b1b2 or, to give it a simpler name, R-M269, where M269 is an SNP mutation that defines the line. This now appears to have entered Europe from the Middle East possibly at the time of the first farming in Europe, but probably even a bit later, maybe about the time that metallurgy began. In its original areas of the Middle East, Greece and Italy it is not dominant, but it looks local because many sub branches are only found there.

Apparently it got on the train of a major movement from somewhere near Hungary into Western Europe. This may even have been the famous Indo European one, which brought riders on horse back, and the language which would become Latin, Gaelic, English etc.

Within R-M269 is a branch called R-L21 which is by far the most common one in Ireland and Scotland. It is less common in Europe, where other "flavours" of R-M269 are also common. Here are some maps for L21: http://www.familytreedna.com/public/R-L ... on=results

Within R-L21 there are more branches. But we need to find more SNP mutations in order to define them clearly. The STR markers we genealogists use change to often, and they can change back and forth. This is what makes them great for genealogy, i.e. looking at comparisons over only a few centuries instead of longer periods.

So for now all we can do is look at the STR markers, searching for clear patterns. One of the most significant discoveries that can be made by doing this is that a very big % of all Scottish R-L21 men have quite a different looking STR signature than the typical one - showing us that they have a common ancestor and are a clear branch within R-L21. Because we have no SNP to define them we tend to refer to them with names like R-L21-Scots.

Our chiefs are in R-L21 Scots, and so for example are our MacKinley correspondents.

Most people in R-L21-Scots appear to have a relatively recent common ancestor, making it difficult to tease them apart sometimes. Some people have suggested they might all go back to someone "big" in the early Gaelic kingdoms of Scotland. Many of the families are ones with "Mac surnames", and there is a good number of clan chiefs in this line.

Perhaps I should stop here and ask if this is helping?

Best Regards
Andrew
R. Livingstone
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Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2009 7:47 pm
Location: Mojave Desert, California

Re: Highland Clans and the L21 mutation

Post by R. Livingstone »

Andrew Lancaster wrote:

".....Perhaps I should stop here and ask if this is helping?...."

Actually Very helpful, Andrew! So... I gather that SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) testing would involve a completely different set of restriction enzymes than would be used to test STR stutters? In a study like the Livingstone project, is some additional testing / analysis actually taking place with results excess to STR groupings not being published publicly? Or is the SNP testing part of the "extended" test set beyond the 67 marker STR test? Also - I'm curious if there are theories regarding the nature of any physical manifestations of L-21 and related mutations?

Thanks, and Best Regards -

Ralph
Andrew Lancaster
Posts: 69
Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2009 4:37 pm

Re: Highland Clans and the L21 mutation

Post by Andrew Lancaster »

R. Livingstone wrote:Andrew Lancaster wrote:

".....Perhaps I should stop here and ask if this is helping?...."

Actually Very helpful, Andrew! So... I gather that SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) testing would involve a completely different set of restriction enzymes than would be used to test STR stutters? In a study like the Livingstone project, is some additional testing / analysis actually taking place with results excess to STR groupings not being published publicly? Or is the SNP testing part of the "extended" test set beyond the 67 marker STR test? Also - I'm curious if there are theories regarding the nature of any physical manifestations of L-21 and related mutations?

Thanks, and Best Regards -

Ralph
We very rarely push people to get SNP testing if their main interest is genealogy. However it can sometimes be handy in R-M269, because this haplogroup is so common that anything which can DIS-prove a relationship is handy. The discovery of L21 and U106 have made SNP testing much more interesting in this sense. Keep in mind that these two lineages are so closely related that they can not normally be distinguished just by looking at STR markers.

On the other hand, many people's interest goes beyond normal genealogy.

We do try to have results for both SNP tests (and in some cases our guesses) and for any STR markers beyond the standard package of 67 markers (some of us have up to 120 tested), shown on the public webpage.

Best Regards
Andrew
Roberta Ann
Posts: 602
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2009 12:56 pm

Re: Highland Clans and the L21 mutation

Post by Roberta Ann »

Hi Andrew;

I am interested in this extended testing. You make it sound very interesting indeed. Is the cost prohibitive? I mean would it cost as much as the 67 markers? Do you think it would benefit my interest in geneaology as far as finding out where in the world my family originated, maybe a thousand years ago!!!

Regards;

Roberta
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Kyle MacLea
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Joined: Fri Jul 17, 2009 1:54 am
Location: New Hampshire, USA
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Re: Highland Clans and the L21 mutation

Post by Kyle MacLea »

Roberta Ann wrote: I am interested in this extended testing. You make it sound very interesting indeed. Is the cost prohibitive? I mean would it cost as much as the 67 markers? Do you think it would benefit my interest in geneaology as far as finding out where in the world my family originated, maybe a thousand years ago!!!
The extended "Deep Clade" testing is not that much money.... Although given FTDNA's website, I can't find exactly how much right now.

This gives more info about SNP typing:
http://www.familytreedna.com/snps-r-us.aspx

It definitely gives you OLD history. Now, as Andrew says, we may, through research and targeted testing be able to come up with useful SNP markers for our families. Right now, they are useful for disproving close-looking relationships from STR markers that are actually just by chance. But with new SNPs, they may help tell us more about our families.

I myself tested and find it quite interesting, but there's not an immediate genealogical punch to it. Still, it's hard not to feel that it will SOMEDAY be useful!

Kyle=
Kyle S. MacLea
Clan Society Life Member; DNA Project Co-Admin
New Hampshire, USA
kyle -dot- maclea -at- gmail -dot- com
Andrew Lancaster
Posts: 69
Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2009 4:37 pm

Re: Highland Clans and the L21 mutation

Post by Andrew Lancaster »

Roberta Ann wrote:Hi Andrew;

I am interested in this extended testing. You make it sound very interesting indeed. Is the cost prohibitive? I mean would it cost as much as the 67 markers? Do you think it would benefit my interest in geneaology as far as finding out where in the world my family originated, maybe a thousand years ago!!!

Regards;

Roberta
Apart from the normal panels (12, 25, 37, 67 STR markers) there are then the "advanced tests". Most of these are done in FT DNA's own lab in Texas instead of the University of Arizona where they do their main commercial tests. There is a one time $9.50 charge to bring a sample to Texas.

These tests are quite flexible, so it would not be useful to summarise here. There are package deals for example, but also the possibility of just ordering one single test for a few dollars, and then ordering another 6 months later. More people should consider this.

There are both more STR markers, the ones we genealogists use, such that you can go up to 120 markers, and there are SNP tests. For example if you are dealing with a relatively normal looking R1b1b2 case, you can just order L21, instead of wasting money on the full "deep clade" range.

I especially think it is useful to consider ordering more STR markers though, instead of SNPs. I am a fan of tests like DYF399X - a good one for splitting up a close group.

Best Regards
Andrew
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