26 February 2025
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Learn about your motherline back 100,000 year with the FamilyTreeDNA Mitotree
On 25 February 2025, FamilyTreeDNA launched the (beta) Mitotree. Announced just five years ago, the Million Mito Project aimed to capture the mitochondrial DNA of a million testers to generate a sizeable database, from which a new, more detailed, mitochondrial tree, showing the 'family tree of womankind' could be created.
Five years on, and FamilyTreeDNA has launched Mitotree (in beta) - a tree based on the full mitochondrial DNA sequences of 250,000 individuals, comprising 40,000 branches (haplogroups), has been created.
What is the Mitotree from FamilyTreeDNA?
At beta launch, the mitotree displays the mitochondrial DNA inheritance, from up to half a million DNA mitochondrial DNA testers (250,000 of these are mt full sequences), organised into a graphical tree with 40,000 branches (haplogroups).
It has been created to tell the collective story, scientifically, of the genetic and actual journeys of our motherlines over the past tens of thousands of years - even back 100,000 years. Each time a mutation occurs, a new side-branch (subclade, or sub-group of a haplogroup) is created, leading to the tree-like display.
What can I learn from the Mitotree?
When you take a mitochondrial DNA test with FamilyTreeDNA you will learn your maternal haplogroup. This definition will place your maternal line genetic inheritance, via your mitochondrial DNA on the Mitotree.
This will enable you to learn the deep ancestry journey of your maternal line over many tens of thousands of years.
Your precise haplogroup will continue to be redefined as time passes and more granular information about the family tree of womankind becomes available; as this happens you will gain an increasingly precise location on the evermore detailed Mitotree.
How can I learn my maternal haplogroup?
Take a DNA test that reports on the maternal haplogroups, such as the mt DNA test from FamilyTreeDNA. In addition to learning your maternal haplogroup assignation, you will also have the possibility of locating mt DNA matches in the mt DNA database on FamilyTreeDNA, and the other benefits of mtDNA Discover.
What if you have already taken an mtDNA test with FamilyTreeDNA?
Be sure to login - as you will be able to study the Mitotree and view your new, refined, haplogroup. If you do not have a more refined haplogroup designation this just means that further testers are needed on your branch for a mutation to be identified, and then a more precise branch for you can be allocated.
Find out more about Mitotree from FamilyTreeDNA
Read the FamilyTreeDNA news blog post by Katy Rowe-Schurwanz: https://blog.familytreedna.com/updated-mtdna-tree-35000-new-branches/
Study the mtDNA frequently asked questions on the FamilyTreeDNA website: https://www.familytreedna.com/products/mt-dna#faq
Read Roberta Estes' (member of the FamilyTreeDNA Mitotree science team) coverage at https://dna-explained.com/
