Role of Technology in “DNA Testing for Genealogy”

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Jovarie
Jovarie
Hi there! I am a freelance writer who lives and breaths content on a daily basis. I consider myself to be a living paradox. An old soul trapped in a modern world. A self-proclaimed hopeless romantic and a professional over-thinker. I can't start anything unless I have my coffee. Writing has been and always will be my way of calming the storms in my heart and mind.

There is a huge development of advanced technology all over the world and so is the field of genealogy. With the help of technology only it has now become easy to know about our past, know about our ancestors because of who we are today in this world. DNA testing for genealogy is a tool that helps us to solve the issues related to our biological relations to our ancestral roots.

DNA is responsible for the difference in the physical features like the color of the eye, height, bone structure, hair, etc. Though the difference between the DNA structure from person to person is 0.1% only. The DNA test provides almost the accurate result helping to know the family background, person’s ethnic heritage, and ancestral history. This test also helps in finding new family members and relatives about whom you never knew.

Types of DNA test

To find the relation with other people based on the concept of genealogy the advanced technology has given us the gift of DNA tests. There are three types of tests available to test the genomic connection.

  • Paternal Linkage Test or Y-chromosome DNA test:  This test will help you to know your father’s side relation as the Y- chromosome is passed from the father to the male child.
  • Maternal Linkage Test or mtDNA [mitochondrial DNA] test:  This test has helped in knowing about the relation of your mother’s side as mitochondrial DNA is passed on from mother to both male and female children. His process of carrying forward is been processed for a generation so it also helps to determine the ancestral as well.
  • Ancestral Focused Testing:  This test helps in finding the ancestors all around the globe by tracking the genetic link as neither the Y- chromosome nor the mtDNA is involved in this test. This test mainly tells about the origin of the person’s ancestry.

Importance of DNA testing

The technology of DNA testing has developed in the past few years solving many of the problems related to biological issues and thus has established its importance in many different ways. Apart from helping to know about the ancestors, this advanced technology has helped people mainly in case of adoption to know about their biological parents.

It is helpful in finding the relatives who have separated because of uncertain conditions or in wars, this test helps to reorganize them and reunite with them. It also helps in crime investigation to determine whether somebody has committed the crime or not.

Bottom Line

Technology has developed a lot in the past few years and so it is nowhere back in the field of DNA testing for genealogy. The advancement of technology has made DNA testing simpler by inventing some of the techniques like Short Tandem Repeats {STR}, Restrictive Fragment Length Polymorphism {RFLP}, Electrophoresis, Polymerase Chain Reaction [PCR]. Modern technology has given such heights to the study of genealogy about which no one has thought before.

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