The Genetic Genealogy : Introduction
The classical genealogy is essential but limited in time due to the period of archives confidentiality (approximatively a century for online databases) . It could be also boring to draw up the list of our dead ancestors, without having an idea of their life; to remedy to this fact I added in this website a family chronicles section, in which: - my ancestors during the World War One are presented according to the military archives, - the origin of the family name estimated from a regional hypothesis, - the de Parron noble branch described in the historical context of the pre-revolutionary period - and, as usual in every genealogical tree, I found some « famous cousins ». But, to extend the field of applications of my own genealogy, I tried (very modestly) to dig back even more deeply in the family history using the genetic genealogy.
The Genetic Genealogy : the DNA structure (1) The DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) molecule carries all the the genetic history of all living organisms (and of course Homo sapiens) since their origins.
(from Wikipedia) DNA occurs in 23 pairs of chromosomes in the human cell nucleus : 22 composed of X-X type and the 23rd determines the sex of individuals, X-Y for males and X-X for females. In all eukariotes , DNA presents a special structure in « double helix » described for the first time by the biologists James Watson and Francis Crick from the Cambridge University for which they received the 1962 Nobel Prize. This double helix is composed of 2 strands held together by hydrogen bonds; each strand has 4 types of nucleotides (Adenine, (A), Thymine (T), Guanine (G) and Cytosine (C) attached on it but in a special arrangement: A on one strand corresponds to T on the other and C on one strand to G on the other! For example, the sequence ATTCAG on one strand will correspond to its complementary sequence on the other, thus TAAGTC!
The Genetic Genealogy : the DNA structure (2)
(from Wikipedia)
The Genetic Genealogy : the DNA function (3) The DNA function is to give genetic instruction to organic beings for making other large molecules, called proteins. These proteins could be enzymes necessary for the organism metabolism, hormones produced by body cells and transported by blood to stimulate specific cells or tissues into action, protein motors capable of converting chemical energy into work, notch protein which works as a receiver at the cell surface, collagen, the most abundant protein in our body, holding the whole body together, giving our skin strength and elasticity, helping replacement of dead skin cells, hemoglobin responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood, etc. The production of each protein is due to one gene (called basic unit of heredity) located on a specific place of the DNA molecule (or locus). Proteins are composed by the linear combination of only 20 amino-acids and the order of these amino-acids will determine the final protein: for instance to make a keratine protein which represents 90% of our hair, the corresponding genetic code of this specific gene will be: ATGACCTCCTTG; for decoding the name of the amino-acids, we shall list this sequence as triplets or codons: ATG-ACC-TCC-TTG or methionine-threonineserine-phenylalaline! To compensate losses in protein secretion or degradation, cells synthetize new proteins from their genes; this consists in a transcription in the nucleus of one strand of DNA, including the region encoding a protein flanked by non-coding regions, in messenger RNA (Ribonucleic acid), then, the mRNA is exported into the cytoplasm through a nucleus pore, where it is tranlated into a keratin protein by a ribosome. This new molecule of keratine is expeled from the cell and joins the millions of others to form a new part of the hair!
The Genetic Genealogy : the DNA duplication (4) We have seen that chromosoms occur in pairs, one coming from the mother, the other coming from the father! This implies that diploids organisms have 2 alleles for each gene, one on each chromosom but located on the same locus. They can be dominant or recessive: for example, there is a gene for eye color, an allele for blue eyes and one for brown eyes; the 2 alleles inherited from parents may be the same (homozygous) or different (heterozygous), in this case brown eyes allele is dominant that means the expressed trait or phenotype will be brown eyes; in case of homozygotes, both alleles could be either brown eyes so the phenotype will be brown eyes or blue eyes so with a phenotype blue eyes. Gregor Mendel (1822-1884) is considered to be the founder of modern genetics; he was an Austrian monk and developped 2 principles of heredity by experimenting with pea plant breeding.: - the principle of segregation: for any particular trait, the pair of alleles of each parent separate and only one allele passes from each parent on to an offspring (we now know that this segregation of alleles occurs during the meiosis). - the principle of independent assortement: different pairs of alleles are passed to offspring indendantly of each other. Today, we know the genes of differents characters are located on different chromosoms. In our organisms, we have 2 types of cells: gametes (ovum, ovule or egg for female and sperm for male) which are the reproductives cells, haploids and carry only one copy of each chromosome and somatic cells, any cell other than a gamete; they are diploids and form the body of an organism. They regenerate themselves by the mechanism called mitosis which is nuclear division and cytokinesis and produces two identical daughter cells; the first stage of mitosis is prophase in which the chromatin condenses into double rod-shaped structures attached by a centromere (normaly, the DNA double helix in the cell nucleus is packaged by special proteins called histones; the formed protein-DNA is called chromatin which has no visible structure, in fact, what we called « chromosome » is one chromosom plus its duplication (homologous chromosome) at the beginning of mitosis! The cytoplasm be also duplicate and it will be composed with the same number of organelles (mitochondria, chloroplasts, ribosomes,etc.). Meiosis a a cell division reducing the chromosome number by half, by creating 4 haploid daughter cells; the process starts like mitosis, by duplication of one chromosome in homologous chromosomes attached by a centromere; next stage is different because there will be crossovers between different homologous chomosomes producing an exchange of genetic information.
The Genetic Genealogy : the DNA study applications (5)
(from Wikipedia)
After ferlilization or fusion between gametes, ova and sperm, (i.e. sexual reproduction), the zygote will be diploid and will contain 2 copies of each chromosom, one from each parent. As DNA duplication is a very complex process, errors could occur by accident such as insertion of one or more nucleotide base pairs, deletion of segments of DNA, recombination by crossing over during meiosis or simply the replacement of a nucleotide for another, etc. For somatic cells, mutations stay at the individual level but in case of gametes, their transmission become hereditary; at the population level, the natural selection will keep a mutation in the genetic pool if it gives a advantage for the environmental adaptation ; on the contrary, a mutation will be eliminated if it does not suit the environment. The theory of Evolution of species by natural selection was written by Charles Darwin in 1859 but Darwin ignored at that time that the driving forces of the Evolution of species were mutations which gave by natural selection this extraordinary variability to living (or fossils) beings.
The Genetic Genealogy : the DNA study applications (6) As many Sciences, the classification of living beings called philogenetic Systematics made a lot of progress thanks to DNA studies on embryos using the cladistic method (treated in the first part of this website). We are able now to reconstruct the cladogram of all living and fossils beings and furthermore to retrace their evolution: - bacteria appeared 3,8 billions of years ago in oceans (700 My after the Earth formation) - their coalescence gave birth to the first eukariote cells 2,7 billions of years ago - pluricellular organisms appeared around 600 million years (My) - paleontological archives appeared at the beginning of the Cambrian era (540 My ago) - forms of plant life colonized continents around 460 My and animals like Arachnids, Acarina, Centipedes around 435 - bony fishes evolved to tetrapods and got out of the water 375 My ago - from the Carboniferous period (370 My) continents are covered by lush forests and gave coal - egg shell appeared with Reptiles around 300 My ago and freed them from water allowing Dinosaurs to dominate the world during 130 My: they disappeared 65 My ago (due to the fall of a meteorite at Chicxulub in Mexico) along with Ammonites, flying Reptiles, etc. - mammals appeared 200 My ago - birds appeared 150 My ago - apparition of Homo sapiens 200000 years ago. I must insist that evolution is a contingent process, in other words non-deterministic. For example, according to Sebastien Steyer, paleontologist at the Paris Museum, feather appeared in the Dinosaurs group as a thermal insulator, allowing these huge animals to regulate their body temperature; its adaptation to the flight is only secondary: feather is an exaptation to the flight and an adaptation to the thermoregulation!
The Genetic Genealogy : living beings (+ fossils) cladogram (7)
(
D.Parron (2012)
The Genetic Genealogy : mtADN and Y-ADN (8)
Allan Wilson, Rebecca Cann and Mark Stoneking published in the scientific journal Nature in January 1987 an article which is going to revolutionise our DNA knowledge and its consequences on the human evolution: the mitochondrial DNA (or mtDNA) and the human evolution. These authors discovered a strand of DNA, not in the nucleus, but in a tiny organelle (10 µ) called mitochondria which is in the cytoplasm. These organelles are responsible for energy production thanks to the ATP (adenosine triphosphate) molecule; it is the reason why they are found in quantity in muscular cells, brain, nerves… Their DNA has a special structure: their double helix forms a circle like in bacteria. Furthermore, their genetic code is composed of specific sequences dedicated for the the production of enzimes required to capture oxygen and therefore fulfil their function. Some biologists think mitochondria were free bacteria hundreds of millions of years ago and which colonised some cells in establishing symbiotic relationships with them. As seen previously, the fertilised egg has its nuclear DNA coming from both parents but its cytoplasm comes from the mother’s ovule. That means that the organelles during the development of the foetus are copies of the mother’ones! The fact that mtDNA is composed of only 16500 bases compared with the 3 billions of the nuclear DNA is another advantage; furthermore, there is one part of this mtDNA where mutations remained stable: it is a 500 bases portion called « control region » or d-loop considered ideal to carry out studies on the maternal line by Bryan Sykes, from the Oxford university: he wrote a book « The Seven Daugthers of Eve » in which he demonstrated that the majority of Europeans can be classified in seven haplogroups, each one has a separate prehistoric female line ancestor. Brian Sykes is the founder of Oxford Ancestors, the genealogical DNA testing firm I used for my son Nicolas. Professor Sykes proposes also genetic tests on Y chromosome to study paternal lines. Thanks to him and some other geneticists, the Genetic Genealogy became popular in the 2K years and is well developed today.
The Genetic Genealogy : mtADN and Y-ADN (9)
A haplogroup is a genes sequence located on specific sites of one chromosome (or genetic markers) from which it is possible to trace the history of their mutations up to their MRCA or most recent common ancestor. In human Genetic Genealogy, geneticists propose DNA tests on mtDNA and Y-DNA haplogroups. Some start to study the haplogroups of the autosomes chromosomes (or X-X) but, as they come from both parents it is a lot more complicated. (each X chromosom is composed of 153 millions bases!!). Y-DNA tests consist to search recent male ancestors (3 to 20 generations) on STR (Short Tandem Repeat) markers, system used to define clans, or more distant origins on SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) markers and, therefore, identify the etnic ancestor group (or haplogroup) and his age. On STR or DYS (DNA Y-chromosom Segment) markers, bases repetitions (TATT for example) are counted: the probability for two men to have a same repetition on a marker or more is very very small; on the contrary their similarity would indicate they have a common ancestor.
The Genetic Genealogy : Oxford tests mtADN and Y-ADN (10) Both mtDNA and Y-DNA tests have been carried out by Oxford Ancestors, a british company, on my son Nicolas (with his agreement!). (Note that it is forbidden in France if it is not for medical or judicial reasons). With Nicolas, it was possible to explore his maternal line (his sister Audrey, his niece Camille, his mother Catherine (my spouse) and his grandmother Jeannine). On his paternal side, I wanted to check if the Parron patronym had his roots in the Alpine area as supposed by our genealogy.
NICOLAS PARRON’S PATERNAL LINE
ARNAUD sosa1 NICOLAS & JEANNICE APONTE sosa 2 & 3
Ve République 1958IVe République 1946-1958 Vichy
DIDIER & CATHERINE DOUCET sosa 4 & 5
IIIe République 1870-1940 ANDRE & HENRIETTE PHILIPPE sosa 8 & 9
Commune de Paris LUCIEN & MELINA ARTHAUD sosa 16 & 17
IIe Empire:1852-1870 NAPOLEON III II République 1848-1852
Monarchie de Juillet: 1830-1848 LOUIS PHILIPPE
ADRIEN & EMILIE GAYMARD sosa 32 & 33
PARIS & REGION
Restauration 1815-1830: LOUIS XVIII, CHARLES X Ier Empire 1804-1815: NAPOLEON Ier Ière République: Convention-Directoire-Consulat REVOLUTION LOUIS XVI 1774-1792
PIERRE &ANGELIQUE FAUCHIER sosa 64 & 65
ANTOINE & JEANNE CHEVILLON sosa 128 & 129
? LOUIS XV 1715-1774
?
BAPTISTE &MARIE LAURENT sosa 256&257
LA JARJATTE (DRÔME) LOUIS XIV 1643-1715
CLAUDE & HELENE BRESSAUD sosa 512&513 JEAN & CECILE FLEURAND sosa 1024& 1025
? ?
CHARLES & ANTOINETTE DREVET PIERRE & ENNEMONDE sosa 2048& 2049 MOREL sosa 4096 & 4097
?
LOUIS XIII 1610-1643 HENRI IV HENRI II, CHARLES IX, HENRI III FRANCOIS Ier
GRENOBLE (ISERE)
The Genetic Genealogy : Y-ADN test results (11)
Nicolas inherited from his father and from all his male ancestors the Y-DNA genetic signature or haplogroup (hg) R1b, according to SNP analysis; by the STR analysis, Nicolas, Arnaud, Armand and me belong to the Oisin clan with a high assignment confidence, derived himself from the clan Seth (hg R1). The Y-DNA consortium is an international body in charge of homogenizing all researchs on the Y-DNA; it defined 17 major haplogroups named with a capital letter and minor sub-groups; on a Y clan chart, the phylogenetic relationships between them and their geographical distribution are presented. According to Archeology and Genetics, the clan Seth lived in the Middle East 50000 years ago and migrated to Europe 40000 years ago. He was one tribe of the first Homo sapiens to settle down in Europe and created the Aurignacian culture which lasted until -27000 years Before Present (BP). They were hunter-gatherers and, thus, nomadic. They were the first humans to paint and engrave walls of caves they used as shelters because climate was cold during long winters. But, around -20000 years BP, during the Late Glacial Maximum, (LGM), climate became so harsh, they were obliged to seek refuges in southern regions where climate was more hospitable, like south west of France, Pyrenees and Cantabria in northern Spain for hunters who lived in western Europe. Due to the dispersion, populations became smaller and isolated, so the genetic drift could fix mutations more rapidly than in great populations, explaining, in my opinion, the occurrence of various mutations during the LGM: from hgR1 appeared hgR1a and hgR1b. R1b is dominant in western Europe, R1a in eastern and central Europe; this can be explained by different geographic occurrence at that time, R1b appeared in the western refuge and R1a in italian or balkanic refuges; during the late Magdalenian warming R1b populations from Aquitaine and west Pyrenees spread to northern regions (mostly along the Atlantic coast) by the west side of the « Massif Central » still occupied by glaciers, or, from the central and eastern Pyrenees, by the south-east side and the Rhone valley. I do believe that part of my Oisin ancestors came from central Pyrenees, then following the reindeers herds trying to keep their climatic conditions in going north by the Rhone Valley, to the foot of the Alps where they could live for a while before the complete warming. This means my ancestors could have settled down in Dauphiné around Grenoble at the end of the Magdalenian period ? I’ll never know but , at least, I can imagine a scenario!
The Genetic Genealogy : mtADN test results (12)
Nicolas is a direct descendant of Katrine (haplogroup K1), one of the seven daughters of Eve. She lived 15000 years ago in the Po valley, in Venetia around Venice. This region was covered with forests and under-populated; the Adriatic sea level was very low. It was a refuge region during the Late Glacial Maximum 5000 years before. Her clan hunted ibex and chamois in the mountain in summer and gathered plants the rest of the year. The archeological period is known as Epi-gravettian characterized by the parietal Art scarcity; the way of life was nomadic, so a widespread family lived in a kind of huts covered with animal skins. Sometimes they founded refuge under rock shelters or at the entry of caves. The Katrine’s eyes were green-brown, like the Camille’s great-grandmother; her partner had brown eyes. For some geneticists, the OCA2 mutation giving blue eyes appeared in this area. During the Mesolithic period, sea level reached his present level during the holocene climatic warming. Between 8600 and 7600 years BP, castelnovian hunters-fishers-gatherers, the Katrine’s descendants, continue to hunt ibex and chamois in mountain but with a new weapon, the bow, as discovered in the Mondeval de Sora site, in the Dolomite Alps; it is at an altitude of 2000 m. and could be a site in which different tribes could gather in summer. Around -7800 years BP, the first Neolithic settlers arrived bringing their Cardial culture with them: ceramics, sheep breeding, barley and wheat farming. Then, start the acculturation process, and the formation of some mixed families, but in terms of populations, the neolithic percentage should not be very important. However, some Katrine’s descendants migrated north via the Rhone and Saone valleys or via the Alps valleys to settle in Bourgogne-FrancheComté where soils are very good for agriculture and farming between -7500 and -6400 years BP. Then, according to their marriages with farmers or winemakers, Katrine’s female descendants stayed in this rich area through centuries.
CAMILLE’S MATERNAL LINE (13) CAMILLE GRETTER
Ve République 1958AUDREY PARRON
IVe République 1946-1958
CATHERINE DOUCET
TOULOUSE (Haute Garonne)
Vichy
JEANNINE VALLUT
IIIe République 1870-1940 MATHILDE LORIN
PARIS & SAINT SAUVEUR (Yonne)
Commune de Paris
IIe Empire:1852-1870 NAPOLEON III
CELINA LABELLE
II République 1848-1852
Monarchie de Juillet: 1830-1848 LOUIS PHILIPPE
BASILIQUE DROIN
Restauration 1815-1830: LOUIS XVIII, CHARLES X Ier Empire 1804-1815: NAPOLEON Ier Ière République: Convention-Directoire-Consulat REVOLUTION LOUIS XVI 1774-1792
AGATHE LABELLE
?
MARIE JEANNE MINE JEANNE FOUSSIER
LOUIS XV 1715-1774 ? MARGUERITE COLLAS
CRAVANT (Yonne) LOUIS XIV 1643-1715
LOUIS XIII 1610-1643 HENRI IV HENRI II, CHARLES IX, HENRI III FRANCOIS Ier
The Genetic Genealogy : mtADN test results (14) One of the Katrine’s descendant became famous, because his frozen corpse was discovered at an altitude of 3210 m, in an Italian glacier, close to the Austrian border: he was first nicknamed Ice Man then Ötzi. He lived during the Chalcolithic period 4500 years ago. His mtDNA sequencing showed he belonged to the haplogroup K just like Nicolas, therefore, they are parent! Exams proved he was killed by an arrow in his back! Today, most of Katrine’s descendants lived in Northern Europe.
ÖTZI (d’aprèsWikipedia)
