No. As a genealogist, you may focus on a few basic rules. These will allow you to use mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA) to assist with your traditional genealogical research on maternal lineages.
- It is best if you begin your research with a plan. This is usually a comparison of two or more descendants of a female ancestor.
- mtDNA works well for those who do cluster or collateral line research. This is where a genealogist researches not only their own direct lines but those of cousins and the people from the same small geographic region (town, township, hamlet, etc.).
- mtDNA traces exclusively the direct maternal line. You need to test someone with the mtDNA of the female ancestor you are researching.
- For reliable genealogical matches, you need the mtDNA full sequence test.