DNA Basics
What type of DNA kit does MyHeritage offer?
Autosomal DNA kit.
What is the Founder Populations program?
MyHeritage's Founder Populations project is unique. It is the largest of its kind ever conducted, involving more than 5,000 participants, hand-picked for this project from MyHeritage's 92 million members. Participants were selected based on their family trees - those with consistent heritage from the same region or ethnicity over many generations were eligible to participate.
What is the name of the article a user can follow to activate a DNA kit?
How do I activate my DNA kit?
How can users see all the regions of the world that their DNA was compared with?
Users can click on "Show all available regions" at the bottom of their Ethnicity Estimate results to see all the regions of the world compared against their DNA.
Is there any cost to use the cM Explainer™ tool?
No, the tool is free to use.
How many ethnicities does MyHeritage have in the new model?
79 regions
What tools can be found on the DNA Tools tab?
cM Explainer.
AutoClusters.
Chromosome Browser.
Ethnicities map.
Who will be considered "manager" of a DNA kit?
The person who activates the DNA kit.
Why might some global populations exhibit similar DNA?
Some global populations exhibit similar DNA due to geographical proximity and the mingling of populations.
What should a user do if they receive "shocking results" in their DNA Matches?
If a user receives "shocking results" in their DNA Matches for close relatives, they should escalate the issue according to the Escalation Sheet with a full description of the issue in the call summary, including the kit numbers of all parties involved.
When did MyHeritage launched its own DNA kits?
November 2016.
What actions can be done on the Manage DNA kits section?
Track kit (available until the kit is activated)
Re-assign kit to a different person
Download kit
View Ethnicity Estimate
View DNA matches
Delete kit
Mention 3 reasons why a user cannot activate a DNA kit.
- The user is misreading the code.
- A refund or a chargeback was done for the kit.
- The kit has been replaced.
- The kit was activated by someone else.
- If there is an activation mix-up.
- They user may be using restricted internet.
What does a very low percentage of an Ethnicity (approx. 0.8-2.5%) indicate?
A very low percentage of an Ethnicity indicates that some areas of the person's DNA are very similar to the reference DNA of that Ethnicity.
What chromosomes are shown in the Chromosome Browser results?
The results show shared DNA information on the 22 chromosomes.
How many generations does DNA matches are calculated for?
Up to 6 generations and 5th degree cousins.
What companies does MyHeritage support DNA kits from?
23andMe, AncestryDNA and FTDNA (only and only autosomal).
A user asked for a refund for his DNA kit right after purchase. We issued a refund and the user is now calling to say he received the DNA kit. The user wants to use the DNA kit. How can you assist the user?
Advise the user that we cannot re-activate the DNA kit and recommend them to buy a new DNA kit.
What is genetic recombination?
Genetic recombination is a process during conception where the parents' DNA mixes to form a unique combination in the child.
How many DNA Matches can be viewed simultaneously in the Chromosome Browser?
Users can view shared DNA segments with up to 7 DNA Matches simultaneously in the Chromosome Browser.
What is the DNA Quest?
DNA Quest was initially launched in March 2018 and extended the following year, with 20,000 free DNA kits donated to adoptees and people seeking family members placed for adoption. As a result, countless reunions took place across the globe and many lives were forever changed for the better.
What should you do if a user deletes a DNA kit by mistake from the site?
If the user wants a replacement (for 1 DNA kit only!), explain that they received a warning before deletion and send out a replacement kit. The deleted DNA kit can be replaced as usual from the account, no need to create a free kit.
A user calls in saying they can't activate a the DNA kit. You see that the DNA kit was already activated, but on another account. How do you proceed?
Ask probing questions and escalate to DNA team without informing the user that the kit was activated by someone else.
What is the Genetic Groups feature?
The Genetic Groups feature is an ethnicity breakdown covering over 2100 geographic regions, released just before Christmas 2020.
How does TOFR work?
TOFR works by starting with your family tree and ending in the family tree of your DNA Match. The system uses genealogical records and profiles to propose theories on how you and your DNA Matches are related.