(This data posted on November 14, 2004)

The TEST

The Y-chromosome DNA Test is performed on men. The Y-chromosome is only carried down in families through male line descendants, passed unaltered from father to son, although occasional mutations occur.  This test is performed to ultimately determine if two particular men share a direct male line ancestor.  This is not a substitute for doing genealogy, but can be a great tool for solving mysteries once and for all or for narrowing down possible avenues of research.  For more information on the test, visit the website for the testing company at the link below.

The TESTING COMPANY

The company that performed the tests is Family Tree DNA, based in Houston, Texas.  Their website is http://www.familytreedna.com/.   If anyone is interested in participating, they should contact Richard Hite at rhite61@netzero.com or Dan Wharton at pelhamdan@aol.com of Pelham, New York, about the Hite/Hoyt DNA project.   Dan started this project as a Hoyt project and then joined forces with Richard to make it a Hite/Hoyt project.  The administrators arrange for kits to be mailed and then participants can get the test analyzed for a lower price ($169.00 as opposed to $209.00).  $169.00 pays for a 25-marker test, which is the most sophisticated test offered.  It is also possible to take a simpler 12-marker test for $99.00 when ordering through Richard and Dan.  The simpler test can be upgraded later for $90.00 more.  The difference is explained on the website.  Richard Hite encourages going ahead with the 25-marker test from the beginning, but if $169.00 is too much of an investment to make at once, a 12-marker test is worth taking.  Payment is not expected until the kit is returned to the company.

Terminology:

Haplotype -      The unique set of all markers of an individual sample.  If two men have identical haplotypes, they are considered related in the male line.

Haplogroup -    A genealogical group defined by a specific set of similar readings on selected markers (less specific than a haplotype).  All men fall into a specific haplogroup and there are probably fewer than 50 worldwide.

DYS -              DNA Y Chromosome unique Segment

Allele –             any of two or more genes that have the same relative position on related chromosomes

Allele Value –   the number of repeats of the short nucleotide sequence in the locus, obtained by adding a fixed offset to the

score

Each marker checked is assigned a DYS number by the laboratories.  The allele value is then determined for each marker.  These are the numbers assigned to the markers analyzed (in the order listed by Family Tree DNA):

393, 390, 19 (also called 394), 391, 385a, 385b, 426, 388, 439, 389-1 Link 1, 392,

389-2 Link 1, 458, 459a, 459b, 455, 454, 447, 437, 448, 449, 464a, 464b, 464c, 464d, 464e, 464f, 464g Link 2 (Most subjects only have 464a-d here, but there are exceptions).

Calculating Genetic Distance Between Two Sets of Readings

For most of the markers, the genetic distance is simply the difference between one subject’s reading and another subject’s reading.  For example, if Subject A has a reading of 12 on DYS 393 and Subject B has a reading of 13, the genetic distance between them for that marker is 1.  These markers are scored differently - 389-1, 389-2 Link 1 and 464a-g Link 2.

At the 25-marker level, if all 25 readings match or if 24 of 25 match (with a difference of only one or two on the mismatched reading), then the two individuals definitely have a common male line ancestor.  A 23 of 25 match, with a disparity of only one on each of the mismatched readings (for a total genetic distance of two between the subjects) is also an indication of a relationship in the direct male line.  With any disparity greater than that, it becomes questionable, but it is clear that it is possible for two men with a common male line ancestor to have a slightly greater number of mismatches (Please check the links for the markers underlined above because their scoring is different).  This type of testing is still relatively new and much more remains to be learned (average mutation rates Link 3).  The average marker mutates once every 500 generations, meaning that one should expect one mutation every 20 generations when testing 25 markers (500/25 = 20).  It should be noted that when comparing two lineages, one should expect a mutation every 10 generations because the chances of a mutation double in that event.

The results follow.  So far, ten separate family groups have been identified by these tests.  Obviously, the Hite surname and its variants are not unique to one lineage.  Because of the difference in the scoring, DYS 464a-g is separated from the other markers.

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Results Table