Mitochondrial DNA Test
Price: R4995
Testing: Two applicants with shared maternal lineage
Timeframe: 20-30 working days from receipt of swabs at the laboratories
Mitochondrial DNA Test
Do you share a common maternal ancestor? Do you perhaps have the same mother, grandmother or great grandmother? If you need to have these questions answered, an X-SV female lineage test could be the ideal test for you. This test can be carried out between males and females and can conclusively provide them with absolute, scientific certainty that they share the same maternal lineage.
We suggest you return samples by courier directly to our office because the local postal system has proved unreliable and we cannot be responsible for samples that do not reach us.
Science Behind The MtDNA Test
An X-SV test (short for X chromosome structural variation) is a test that is based upon the analysis of maternally inherited Mitochondrial DNA. Males and females inherit their mtDNA from their mother and females will always pass their mtDNA down to their children. This test is extremely accurate because mitochondrial DNA very rarely mutates.
We can be certain that if two people have a matching MtDNA profile, this is proof that they will also be related from their mother’s side of the family. Our test consists of a comparison of 10 genetic marker profiles.
The X-SV test is sometimes used by individuals who wish to know if they have the same mother. In such cases, International Biosciences will suggest an X-SV test (or mitochondrial DNA test) as a second testing option to a maternity test in cases where the mother is not available to be tested. Whilst an mtDNA test is very accurate and will confirm a shared maternal line between the people tested, it will not actually confirm whether the people tested have the same mother, grandmother or any other blood female relative in common. It is up to the tested individuals to draw their own conclusions about which maternal ancestor they share. A maternity test, on the hand, will tell you whether the tested mother is the biological mother or not. Click here to read more about our maternity test.
Collecting Your DNA Samples
International Biosciences has many years of experience in the field and we understand that our clients want a DNA testing procedure that is simple, quick and effective. This is why we provide you with our own DNA sample collection kit. Our kit contains all you need to collect your own samples in a few easy steps using a painless procedure that entails simply rubbing sterile buccal swabs inside the mouth for ten seconds. Instructions, forms and pre-addressed return envelopes are also included in the kit.
Note: We can only guarantee standard result turnaround time when testing takes place solely using oral swab samples. Using a forensic sample for your test may lead to an increase in turnaround time.
FAQs
What is the difference between a maternity test and a female lineage MtDNA test?
A maternity test will establish the biological relationship between mother and child by comparing the DNA samples of the alleged mother and child. If the DNA profiles of mother and child are the identical, we can confirm with a probability of 99.99% that the tested mother is the biological mother.
In an X-SV mitochondrial DNA test we simply determine whether individuals tested share a common maternal line – we cannot establish the relationship between the tested individuals. If the tested parties are mother and child or grandmother and grandson/granddaughter etc, we will not be able to tell you anything about the type of relationship between tested parties.
To conclude a maternity test and MtDNA test rely on the analysis of two entirely different types of DNA- a maternity test uses nuclear DNA and a mitochondrial DNA test using mitochondrial DNA.
Can I trace my ancestral maternal roots?
An X-SV test will tell you if you share a common maternal line with another person. It is a test in which we compare the mtDNA of two or more alleged relatives to see if they really share a biological relationship. Mitochondrial DNA is ideal for tracing maternal lineage and we in fact even offer a maternal lineage ancestry test. Our maternal lineage ancestry test will help if you wish to dig deeper into your ancient ancestry and uncover your maternal lineage, many thousands of years back. Please contact us to discuss any questions or queries you have.
