Similar name, but also "mode" with the satellite navigation program GPS (Global Positioning System) has one a technique developed by researchers at the University of Sheffield, which makes it possible to locate the region of origin of a man in a millennium.
In particular, as mentioned in a university announcement, this tool (Geographic Population Structure-GPS) was created by Eran Elkhik (Sheffield University) and Tatiana Tatarinova (University of Southern California) and its function is similar to that of a satellite system navigation, as it "allows you to find the way home, but not to what you now live, but to that of your ancestors before 1.000 years."
Until recently, scientists have been able to find out where the DNA was made with 700 kilometer accuracy - something that in Europe translates into a "distance" of two countries. However, this technique has a success rate of 98% in terms of determining the origin of populations from the correct geographical areas, and precisely with the accuracy of village and island.
Such an achievement – being able to find where the last 'mixing' of the genetic 'reservoirs' that resulted in a person's DNA took place - could have significant implications for the development of personalized medicine, development of the science of marking and the study of populations and ethnic groups whose origins are the subject of study.
A genetic mutation occurs when individuals from two populations that were previously separated are mated and reproduced. This results in the creation of new genetic reservoirs. Such processes are very common in history, especially in cases of massive migrations and invasions.
"If we think that our world is made up of different colors 'soups', representing different populations, it is easy to visualize how genetic mixing occurs. "If a population from a 'blue soup' area mixes with a population from a 'red soup' area, then their children will appear as 'purple soup,'" says Dr. Eran Elhayk. "The more mixing that takes place, the more colors appear, making it harder to trace DNA ancestry through tools like SPA (Spatial Ancestry Analysis), which has an accuracy level of less than 2%."
"What we've discovered is a way to find out where you were born - that's what you see in your passport - but where your DNA was formed before 1.000 years, creating models of these mixing processes. What is remarkable is that we can do so with such precision that we can find the village where your ancestors lived hundreds of years ago. That has been impossible so far. "
Για να επιδείξουν την ακρίβεια των εκτιμήσεων του GPS, ο Ελχάικ και οι συνεργάτες του ανέλυσαν δεδομένα από δέκα χωριά στη Σαρδηνία και πάνω από 20 νησιά στην Ωκεανία. Σύμφωνα με τη μελέτη, η οποία δημοσιεύτηκε στο Nature Communications, ήταν δυνατός ο «γεωπροσδιορισμός» του ¼ των κατοίκων στη Σαρδηνία κατευθείαν στο χωριό καταγωγής και των περισσότερων εκ των υπολοίπων σε ακτίνα 50 χιλιομέτρων από αυτό. Όσον αφορά στα Results for Oceania, they were 90% successful in identifying the residents' island of origin.
"This technique means that we can no longer easily label people's national identities with a single label. It is impossible to choose a 'box', such as 'White British' or 'African', as we are very complex models, with our own unique identities. The concept of tribes is simply untenable."
Η δρ. Τατιάνα Ταταρίνοβα ανέπτυξε μία by clicking here for that particular tool, giving the public access to GPS. "To help people find their roots, I developed a site that allows anyone who has their genotype recorded to upload their results and use GPS to find the area of origin of their ancestors," he says.
"We were surprised by the simplicity and accuracy of this method. People in a geographical area are more likely to have similar genetic characteristics. When they have features in other, remote areas, their region of origin is generally the closest area in which these characteristics can be found. "
