Hello List,
There is an addition STR test, one that doesn't actually test a different
different marker, but simply tests the ordering of alleles in a marker, namely,
DYS 385a/b.
DYS385 has two values. In the case of our CARRICOs, we are 12-17. By
convention, the results are presented in ascending numerical order, but in fact,
this standard test does not determine the actual order of the alleles. We could
actually be 17-12.
There is a test that will determine the actual order of the DYS 385a/b alleles,
called a Kittler test. It's available as one of the "Advanced" tests at
FTDNA.
Other than academic curiosity, there's currently no compelling reason to have
this test done. The test is of most value in cases where you have a group of
members whose values are close, but varying slightly. For example, if you have
two members who are 13-14 and 11-14, knowing the true order of the alleles can
make a difference in calculating their genetic distance (i.e., the number of
mutations separating them). If their true order is their apparent one,
13-14
11-14
then their genetic distance is two. But if their true order is this one:
13-14
14-11
then their genetic distance is four, doubling the probable distance to their
MRCA (most recent common ancestor).
As long as all our CARRICOs are 12-17, there's no obvious reason to do the test,
especially as the modal value for DYS 385a/b in our haplogroup subclade (J2a1b)
is 13-17. We have only a one mutation difference from the modal value. On the
other hand, I've come to expect anything with our CARRICOs, so if we came up
17-12 on a Kittler test, I'd probably just say, "Ho-hum, another 'odd'
result"!
But come to think of it... I wonder if any of the individuals whose haplotypes
contributed to the modals have had Kittler tests? Maybe the modal is 17-13.
I'll have to ask Bonnie, the Haplogroup J project admin.
Diana