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Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2002-08 > 1029447780


From: "John F. Chandler" <>
Subject: Re: [DNA] Re: GENEALOGY-DNA-D Digest V02 #296
Date: Thu, 15 Aug 2002 17:43 EDT
In-Reply-To: MaryFernS@aol.com message <136.117dfd0f.2a74a70d@aol.com> of Sat, 27 Jul 2002 19:46:51 -0600


Mary wrote:
> If an 85-year-old man has had 12 blood transfusions while in his 70's, and
> several platelet transfusions while in his 80's, can this account for his
> 25-marker test showing TWO mutations from a third cousin?

No. The tests are normally done with mouth cells, not blood. Even if
a blood sample were used for the DNA test, it would show no trace of
transfused cells from many years earlier. Indeed, if a blood sample
were tested soon after a transfusion, the result would likely just be
the dreaded *M (multiple bands with no clear result) for some of the
loci.

John Chandler

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