Genetic test brings ancestors to life

Scientists have developed a test which reads our genetic "archive" to find out from where our ancestors may have come, it was announced yesterday.
By The Newsroom
Published 18th Nov 2010, 08:19 BST
Updated 18th Nov 2010, 08:19 BST

Researchers found an individual's DNA records information about what kind of communities their forebears came from, as far back as tens of thousands of years ago.

The University of Edinburgh scientists found it is possible to determine whether they came from small, isolated communities, or from large, cosmopolitan populations.

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It is also possible to detect whether a person's parents or ancestors were related in any way – for example whether they came from a community where marriage between cousins was commonplace.

The team said the findings could help to identify those communities where low genetic diversity could increase the risk of genetic illnesses, such as cystic fibrosis or muscular dystrophy.

Dr Jim Wilson, Royal Society research fellow at the University of Edinburgh, said: "The exciting thing about these results is that it shows our genes are recording the history of movements in our population.

"It's like an archive being written in genetic code, so that we can understand the way our populations have developed from the distant past."

Scientists analysed the DNA of more than 1,000 people across 51 ethnic groups, including Amazonian tribes in South America, Europeans and some Pacific islanders.