Changing mtDNA

When you order a DNA test, even if you don’t really think about it, you expect that the results will stay the same over time. Sure, geneticists might re-classify or re-label the result, but the actual physical result will be the same.

Not so, it seems. I had an mtDNA test at Oxford Ancestors in 1998. (Yes, 1998.) Back then, it wasn’t clear that genealogists would embrace DNA testing, but I thought it would be interesting. Oxford Ancestors came back with 16270T 16292T 16298C. I decided recently to be re-tested at FamilyTree DNA. They came back with 16270T 16292A 16298C. A different result at 16292. WTF?

Eileen Krause at FamilyTree DNA checked with Dr. Behar, who confirmed that my “sequence clearly has an A at position 16292.” Oxford Ancestors has not responded.