Age of parent when child conceived possible link to increase in mutations
Having read where several chromosomal mutations (Downs Syndrome and dwarfism among several other) are more common with advancing age of the parent, I had wondered if this trait can also be a cause of mutations shown in yDNA and mtDNA testing being done.
As a case in point, I am the project administrator for a new Wing yDNA study. Currently there are only 2 participants in the study.We both had the 37 marker test completed. The results showed a difference of 5 [5 markers each off by 1.]Knowing the exact lineage of both participants, I looked at the age of the father when the son was conceived for both persons and discovered 4 instances when the father was over 45 when the son was conceived. Our common origin dates back to England to a Rev. John Wing bp in 1584/5.
Currently another individual has just sent their sample into the lab. While they are more closely related to the other participant, they have less instances of an elderly father. It will be interesting to see the results to see if their DNA more closely match mine (due to less elderly fathers) or the other individual (closer genetic match.)
While I am an experienced genealogist, I am but a novice in the DNA genetics field. I do understand that the field is based on statistics and while it is a science, the answers are not concrete, but probabilities.
Raymond T. Wing
Genealogist, Wing Family of America, Inc. [WFA]
www.wingfamily.org
Project Administrator, Wing yDNA study
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Re: Age of parent when child conceived possible link to increase in mutations
Elizabeth Ferguson 12/08/06