<p>InDels are just as informative, but are less reliable to call. Errors should be averaged out in this kind of analysis though (so long as they don't predominate).</p>

<p>Both SNPs and InDels are valid data points to consider when comparing triads, but identifying IBD segments will only ever be probabilistic.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-13T14:16:45.127Z
2020-01-13T14:16:45.127Z
Dan Bolser
<p>first of all there's no way to accurately determine the start/end position of shared DNA segments when using microarray data from DTC's like 23andMe and Ancestry.</p>

<p>INDEL's are indeed important when it comes to identify shared segments though I'm not sure how often the change over the course of several generations.</p>

<p>My mum's sister has an INDEL that both my mum and her brother didn't inherit, it will be inherited by her children (my 1st cousins).</p>

<p>Unfortunately the microarray from 23andMe doesn't give you any detailed information of than DI, II and II but not how long the deletion or insert is.</p>

<p>To determine such it requires to use WGS data.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-12T03:40:05.630Z
Welcome, for the answer to be valid you would need to share the putative indel location. The familial relationships could/should be anonymised but the biological information can't.
M__
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-14T19:09:52.177Z
Very informative. Thank you @a4xrbj1. I found that the length of the deletion can be read from the [link]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/snp/ webpages, for example: [link]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/snp/rs267607236.
Stephen Dewar Millar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-15T07:08:26.427Z
@MichaelG. - I don't get your comment. This isn't a question about a specific INDEL, therefore it's a general answer. No idea why your asking for my aunt's specific INDEL at one chromosome and how that should help the OP.
a4xrbj1
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-11T19:02:35.177Z
2020-01-11T19:02:35.177Z
a4xrbj1
<p><strong>Background:</strong>
I am looking for some advice on the use of SNP variants versus INDEL variants for determining Genetic Genealogy, specifically for determining accurately the "START" and "END" of shared DNA segments (shared between two DNA testers' results). The test data used is RAW DNA from direct to consumer DNA testing companies such as AncestryDNA and 23andMe.</p>

<p><strong>Question:</strong>
For the purpose of Genetic Genealogy, are the INDEL variants as useful as the SNP variants? Should the INDEL variants be ignored? Or, alternatively, do the INDEL variants hold a greater significance than the SNP variants?</p>

<p>I hope that using INDEL variants would increase the data in the comparison algorithm, thus increasing the certainty and resolution when determining each shared segment.</p>

<genetics>
Genetic Genealogy related to SNP variants and INDEL variants
# Genetic Genealogy related to SNP variants and INDEL variants

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-01-07)

**Background:**
I am looking for some advice on the use of SNP variants versus INDEL variants for determining Genetic Genealogy, specifically for determining accurately the "START" and "END" of shared DNA segments (shared between two DNA testers' results). The test data used is RAW DNA from direct to consumer DNA testing companies such as AncestryDNA and 23andMe.

**Question:**
For the purpose of Genetic Genealogy, are the INDEL variants as useful as the SNP variants? Should the INDEL variants be ignored? Or, alternatively, do the INDEL variants hold a greater significance than the SNP variants?

I hope that using INDEL variants would increase the data in the comparison algorithm, thus increasing the certainty and resolution when determining each shared segment.

**Tags:** genetics

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-01-13. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

InDels are just as informative, but are less reliable to call. Errors should be averaged out in this kind of analysis though (so long as they don't predominate).

Both SNPs and InDels are valid data points to consider when comparing triads, but identifying IBD segments will only ever be probabilistic.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2020-01-11. Score: 0

first of all there's no way to accurately determine the start/end position of shared DNA segments when using microarray data from DTC's like 23andMe and Ancestry.

INDEL's are indeed important when it comes to identify shared segments though I'm not sure how often the change over the course of several generations.

My mum's sister has an INDEL that both my mum and her brother didn't inherit, it will be inherited by her children (my 1st cousins).

Unfortunately the microarray from 23andMe doesn't give you any detailed information of than DI, II and II but not how long the deletion or insert is.

To determine such it requires to use WGS data.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Welcome, for the answer to be valid you would need to share the putative indel location. The familial relationships could/should be anonymised but the biological information can't.  
> **username_0**: Very informative. Thank you @a4xrbj1. I found that the length of the deletion can be read from the [link]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/snp/ webpages, for example: [link]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/snp/rs267607236.  
> **username_2**: @MichaelG. - I don't get your comment. This isn't a question about a specific INDEL, therefore it's a general answer. No idea why your asking for my aunt's specific INDEL at one chromosome and how that should help the OP.  

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