More about Beth's DNA at:
In October 2010 Beth Ruyle took a genetic test to determine the mtDNA haplogroup for her and all the females in her maternal line. Her mtDNA type is J. All of Beth's relatives in the female line will have an identical or very similar J Haplogroup.
DNA theory posits that all people are descended from one woman. This woman lived in Africa. Each woman passes on her mtDNA to her children. Each one of her daughters pass on this mtDNA to her children.
Over time there are small changes to the mtDNA. These divisions enable us to follow the migrations of different groups of individuals by their mtDNA.
There are seven founding female mtDNA lineages in Europe. J is one of those founding lineages. Brian Sykes is a genetics expert and author who dramatizes the journey by giving the haplogroup a name - in our case J = Jasmine.
"When Jasmine’s clan formed, the Last Ice Age was at an end. Jasmine’s clan lived in permanent quarters and began to plant seeds, raise crops, and herd animals. Today, 17 percent of Europeans are in the clan of Jasmine. One group followed the Mediterranean coast and found its way to the west of Britain, and is common in Cornwall, Wales, and the west of Scotland. The other is common in the central portion of northern Europe."
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Brian Sykes in "The Seven Daughters of Eve" dramatizes and discusses the founding genetic lineages of Europe.
The information below is provided the review below written on Oct 21, 2008 by Sara E. Lewis.
