The Chromosome Painter Chromosome Painting view gives you a color-coded visual of which segments of your 22 autosomal chromosome pairs correspond with your ancestral populations with the option to display the chromosome pair in landscape or portrait view.
Note: The Chromosome Painting chart displays the autosomal chromosomes (1 through 22). Each chromosome has two pairs, and the maternal/paternal copies are painted in an arbitrary order.
Accessing the Chromosome Painting View
Note: By default, the Chromosome Painting view is displayed when you navigate to the Chromosome Painter.
To access the Chromosome view:
In the upper-left corner of the Chromosome Painter, click the Chromosome tab.
Chromosome Super Population and Continent Views
On the Chromosome Painting view, you can select to view your results by Super Populations or by Continental Regions.
What are Continental Regions and Super Populations?
Continental Regions are the main regions of the world in which one or more Super Populations are located.
Super Populations are populations found within each Continental Region.
Click here for a complete list of our Continental Regions and Super Populations.
Switching between Super Populations and Continents Views
To switch back Super Population and Continent views:
In the upper-left corner of the Chromosome Painter Chromosome Painting view, click Super Population or Continent to view your results by Super Population or Continent-level population, respectively.
Understanding Populations Sidebar
The populations sidebar is displayed on the left side of the Chromosome Painting view. Here your Continental Regions, Super Populations, and Population Clusters are displayed as follows:
- Continental Region and the percentage of your autosomal DNA that corresponds with each of your Continental Regions.
- Your Super Populations within the corresponding Continental Region and the percentage of your autosomal DNA that corresponds with each of your Super Populations.
- Your Population Clusters within the corresponding Super Populations.
Population/Region and Chromosome Painting
Super Populations or Continental Regions are painted (color coded) depending on which viewing option you select.
Super Population Painting
When you select to view your results by Super Populations, you will see the following:
On the left sidebar, your Super Populations have a color-coded dot preceding the name of each Super Populations.
On the Chromosome Painting chart, each segment of your autosomal chromosomes that corresponds with a Super Population will be painted the same color as the color-coded dot representing that Super Population on the left sidebar.
Continental Region Painting
When you select to view your results by Continent, you will see the following:
On the left sidebar, your Continental Regions have a color-coded dot preceding the name of each region.
On the Chromosome Painting chart, each segment of your autosomal chromosomes that corresponds with a Continental Region will be painted the same color as the color-coded dot representing that Continental Region on the left sidebar.
Viewing Segment Results
Depending on whether you selected to display your results by Super Population or Continent, the chromosome segments are painted per Super Population or Continent, respectively.
Super Population Segments
When you have selected to view your results by Super Population, the chromosome segments are color coded per Super Population.
To view the information for a Super Population painted chromosome segment, click on the segment in the chromosome chart to view the specific information about that segment.
Continental Region Segments
When you have selected to view your results by Continent, the chromosome segments are painted per Continent.
To view the information for a Continental Region painted chromosome segment, click on the segment in the chromosome chart to view the specific information about that segment.
Important: Even though the segments are painted by the Continental Region, when you click on a segment to view its information, you will see that these segments are still broken down by Super Population.
Understanding Segment Results
When you click on a segment in the Chromosome Painting view, the following estimated segment information is displayed:
Population
Your Super Population with which that segment of your autosomal DNA is estimated to match.
Chromosome
The chromosome pair (out of 22 autosomes) where the estimated population segment is located. A segment cannot cross chromosomal boundaries. These chromosome pairs are numbered 1 through 22.
Shared DNA
The number of centimorgans (cM) in this segment.
Position (Mb)
The start and end positions for the estimated population segment. This is based on build 37 of the human reference genome.
Important: When you are viewing the Continental Regions and you click on a segment to view its information, you will see the Super Population information for that portion of the region's segment.
What do the gray segments mean?
On the Chromosome Painting view, the gray segments signify that the region is "SNP Poor." That is, the microarray chip did not include enough data points in this area to make a scientifically sound judgment
Filtering Chromosome Painting Results
The Chromosome Painter filter allows you to filter your results by specific Super Population(s) or Continental Region(s).
To filter your results:
- In the upper-left corner of the Chromosome Painter Chromosome Painting view, click Filter. The filter menu is displayed on the right side of your screen.
- In the Chromosome View section, click one of the following:
Portrait View - Select to display the chromosome chart vertically.
Landscape View - Select to display the chromosome chart horizontally. - In the Preference section, click one of the following:
Super Population - Select to display and filter your results by Super Population(s).
Continent - Select to display and filter your results by Continental Region(s). - Below the Preference section, your Super Populations or Continental Regions are displayed depending on which option you selected in step 2.
In this section, select the Super Populations or Continental Regions for which you want to filter your results. - In the Trace Results section, select the Show Trace Results Only check box to view only your trace results.
- Click Done. Your results are filtered per the options you have selected.
Switching between Portrait/Landscape Views
On the Chromosome Painting view, you can view the chromosome chart vertically (Portrait) or horizontally (Landscape).
To switch between Portrait and Landscape views:
- In the upper-left corner of the Chromosome Painter Chromosome Painting view, click Filter. The filter menu is displayed on the right side of your screen.
- In the Chromosome View section, click one of the following:
Portrait View - Select to display the chromosome chart vertically.
Landscape View - Select to display the chromosome chart horizontally. - Click Done.
Downloading Segment Information
To download a CVS file of your detailed segment information, click the Download Segments button in the upper-right corner of the Chromosome Painting view.
Trace Results
What are Trace Results?
A Trace Result indicates that you have a very small amount of shared DNA in common with the corresponding reference population. Please note that smaller DNA segments are more likely to be misattributed.
Why do I have a Trace Result?
Although we have, through scientific research, autosomal DNA information for reference populations around the world, our algorithm is unable to assign this one small section of your DNA to a specific reference population for one of the following reasons:
- Due to the broad scope of genetic diversity among humans, this one section of DNA matches multiple reference populations.
- Due to the fact that scientists have yet to determine DNA information for all populations and regions of the world, this one section of DNA does not match any reference population.
As more DNA and scientific information is provided in the future, we will be able to enhance our algorithm and determine the geographic regions and genetic populations for Trace Results.