MyHeritage Upgrades Its DNA Tests to Whole Genome Sequencing

[familydar]

Romilly, hold off taking the sample and sending it back till MH confirm tests will get the new processing, probably after Xmas.  In a recent LostCousins newsletter https://www.lostcousins.com/newsletters2/lateoct25news.htm, Peter Calver suggested that it's pot luck at the moment.

Not heard back from GEDMatch yet.

Jane :-)

[Glen in Tinsel Kni]

Even with their permanently discounted kits, 3rd party uploads and additions through acquiring competitors the database is small compared to Ancestry. The enhanced test might offer better value for money than before but if it cannot be applied retrospectively to existing results the benefit is limited. I cannot imagine many paying out for another kit on the off chance a non responsive match might/maybe/possibly test a 2nd time.

[Biggles50]

Ancestry is currently £39+ postage.

My Heritage £29 + postage and can include a 30 “free” trial of their website.

I may just have a punt on MyH in the new year if this is still going.

[Zaphod99]

Biggles, I think it finishes today. I remember reading on Tuesday that it was only for the next 48 hours. I got in fast.

Zaph

[Steve3180]

I too got the email about whole genome testing, but being a confirmed sceptic I did a bit of maths. The whole genome is 3.3 billion points, the testing companies test about 700,000 points. That means the whole genome is over 4000 times the size of what we have now. MyHeritage would need 4000 times the data storage and downloading the file (which would be about 25 GB) would take 4000 times as long.
I realize that this is a simplistic view as efficiencies can be had but I, for one, am holding off until I see exactly what I'm getting.

[Glen in Tinsel Kni]

As often happens it's all about the marketing of DNA and how that can give consumers unrealistic expectations. What they don't say is arguably more important than what they do.

[Zaphod99]

Steve, that is only partly correct. At one time I believe that whole genome test companies used to only supply the data on a hard drive which was subsequently returned. However there is something called CRAM, which I do not know anything about, but it is I believe effectively a compression system and I don't think the data will be 25 gigabytes, although with full fibre internet that would not take that long to download. I can't wait to see what my results tell me and I've already had a previous my heritage test.

Zaph

[Biggles50]

Biggles, I think it finishes today. I remember reading on Tuesday that it was only for the next 48 hours. I got in fast.

Zaph

My H have had quite a few reduced cost DNA kit sales off and on, so no rush, we will wait until next year

[Steve3180]

Unfortunately full-fibre is a mythical beast yet to be seen in my part of England.

As I said efficiencies can be had, but I'd still like to know what the details are, exactly what we are getting.

For instance all the imputations that are done to compare tests done by different chipsets would not be necessary, an exact comparison could be done on each SNP in the raw imported Ancestry tests and also the older MyHeritage tests.

It is often quoted that we all share 99% of our genome, that would leave 30 million points of difference, will these all be tested ?

There's some marketing guff available but they've yet to state what any of it means, as far as I've seen.

I'm going to hold off until users start reporting back on what they actually get.