Rewriting the Tree of Humankind: The Million Mito Project – What Is It, How We Did It, and What It Means To You
Roberta Estes
Content
Welcome
1m 40s
Polls
2m 15s
Speaker's Introduction
1m 51s
Introduction
5m 52s
Why a New Mitotree?
9m 53s
Challenges
7m 25s
About the new Mitotree
6m 14s
What it means for Genealogists
22m 35s
Genealogy Successes
10m 31s
What's Coming
5m 1s
Announcements / prizes
3m 7s
Questions / answers
12m 34s
About this webinar
The mitochondrial tree of humanity has been rewritten, connecting all of us more closely than ever before on the new Mitotree. Everyone receives mitochondrial DNA only from their mother, who receives it from her mother, and so forth, all the way back in time to Mitochondrial Eve. Mitochondrial DNA is never admixed with the DNA of the other parent, so you never have to sort out which lines it comes from. We are all leaves on the twigs on the branches of the tree of humankind. The mitochondrial tree had not been updated since 2016, but now, with more than a Million samples to work with, 50 times more than before, the tree structure has been expanded eight-fold by combining samples from academic publications, ancient DNA, public sources and testers at FamilyTreeDNA. The new Mitotree and tools provide information never before available to genealogists about their matrilineal lineages. In addition to the vastly expanded genetic tree, FamilyTreeDNA has rolled out the companion MitoDiscover, a dozen fascinating chapters in your mitochondrial book. As a Million Mito Team member, Roberta will explain the challenges we overcame to create the tree of humanity – and how it’s useful to genealogists. All genealogists can benefit from the results of the Million Mito Project, because everyone has mitochondrial DNA that holds keys to information never before available! Let those brick walls fall!!!
About the speaker
Roberta Estes, MS, a professional scientist and business owner has been an obsessed genealogist since 1978. In 2000, when the infant scientific field of DNA for genealogy emerged, Roberta was one of t...
Learn more...Key points and insights
This webinar, presented by Roberta Estes, offers an eye-opening journey into one of the most ambitious mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) research efforts ever undertaken. Aimed at transforming both the scientific and genealogical landscapes, this session explores how the Million Mito Project is rewriting the maternal branch of our ancestral story. Genealogists of all levels will find the content especially compelling, as it bridges cutting-edge genetics with real-world applications in tracing family histories, particularly through matrilineal lines.
Key Takeaways from the Webinar:- The Power of the New Mitotree: The newly launched Mitotree dramatically expands the number of recognized mtDNA haplogroups from roughly 5,400 to over 40,000. This enhanced resolution allows genealogists to pinpoint their maternal ancestors’ genetic footprints with greater specificity than ever before, often uncovering insights previously masked by broader haplogroup classifications.
- Real-World Genealogical Breakthroughs: Estes shares multiple success stories where mtDNA testing—particularly with the new haplogroup definitions—helped genealogists break through long-standing brick walls. Whether it was confirming familial connections in endogamous populations, identifying ancestors from burned-record counties, or uncovering surprises like Native American ancestry, the webinar demonstrates that mtDNA is not just theoretical—it’s practical and transformative.
- Innovative Tools and Techniques: The webinar introduces powerful new tools like mtDNA Discover and the Match Time Tree, which help users analyze haplogroups, identify exact haplotype matches, and visualize geographic and temporal connections. These resources allow researchers to assess maternal lineages down to extremely recent timeframes, debunk the myth that mtDNA only provides ancient data, and combine mtDNA with autosomal results for deeper insights.
Finally, don’t miss the 31-page syllabus available for members—an extensive resource brimming with charts, terminology guides, and further reading to help you master mitochondrial DNA research. Whether you're a seasoned genetic genealogist or just starting to explore DNA testing, this presentation is a cornerstone of mitochondrial genealogy education.
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Comments (98)
As expected, another fantastic presentation.\n\nI have 2 questions regarding haplotypes: \n\n1] Given 309 and 315, which mutate frequently, are included in the haplotype groupings, can that indicate how recently those haplotype matches may have split?\n\n2] What is the average frequency, or range of frequencies, for 309 and 315 mutations?
Hi Leigh. Both 309 and 315 tend to be insertions, not transitions or transversions where one nucleotide is substituted for another. 309 and 315 tend to have multiple copies inserted into the genetic stream. They are so unreliable that they are used neither for matching nor haplogroup formation. We included them in haplotypes because some people find it useful to know if a group of people have them, or don't. They may not actually BE useful. They may simply be doing their 309 and 315 thing, coming and going so often that they are unreliable. So think of haplotype clusters that include 309 and 315 as a bonus grouping. As to your question of knowing how recently they mutated - there's absolutely no clock model for these. That's why they aren't even used for matching. Good questions though!
This is extraordinary!
How wonderful to have all those matches! I have 2 matches and they're all 1 step. I'm hoping a bunch of other people will go ahead and test and I'll have more matches. My maternal My maternal great-grandmother is a real mystery and after 30 years of family genealogy, we still haven't figured out any of her lineage.\n\nNow a question is there any value in a 1st or second cousin who descends from the same great-grandmother getting a mitochondrial test even though I've already had one?
Excellent explanation of how to understand our MtDNA results!
As a genealogist, I love hearing the history behind initiatives like this, so my favorite part was how the Mitotree and Million Mito Project came to be.
outstanding. hope she can do a webinar on British Columbia First Nations dna or western canada
I am now considering taking the Mitochondrial DNA test. I've been so busy with autosomal that I have considered MtDNA. Thanks!
Roberta presented updated and excellent information to help us with our mtdna results.