Paternity & DNA Testing

Two state court rulings last year updates long-established laws, and now allow the use of DNA testing to:

1. Terminate child support in previously settled divorce or paternity suits when the test proves the man is not the child’s biological father, and
2. Challenge a husband’s paternity claim in court if the unmarried man is proven to be the biological father.

Paternity DNA testing is used in many legal situations, including the two described above. While the scenarios in which a DNA test is needed may vary, the DNA testing process itself is simple and the same for every person who wishes to use the test results in court:

1. Contact an AABB-accredited laboratory, such as DNA Diagnostics Center (DDC), to initiate a legal DNA test. This test uses the Chain of Custody, which assures courts and other parties that the samples were taken from properly identified individuals.
2. DDC will schedule a sample collection appointment at a time and place that is convenient to you. Buccal (cheek) swabs are the preferred way to collect DNA, as they are painless and non-invasive.
3. When the samples reach the laboratory, it takes 2 working days to complete the test.
4. Receive the results via mail or online.

DDC’s DNA test results are recognized by courts and government agencies worldwide. For more information, call us at 1-800-613-5768.

Scientists in China have completed the genome sequence for Genghis Khan’s direct descendant—the first complete genome sequence from a representative of the Mongolian population.

The unnamed man is Khan’s 34th- generation descendant, who was chosen for his fully defined family pedigree dating back to the 13th century, and the absence of intermarriage with other ethnic groups. This may have been particularly important, because Khan is famous for being prolific. According to the article:

A study released in 2003 revealed that 8 percent of the males living in the regions of the former Mongolian Empire carried a nearly identical Y chromosome, suggesting that they were all direct descendants of Genghis Khan and his many sons. According to the study, as many as 0.5 percent of all males on the planet today may be descendants of Genghis Khan.

The scientists’ goal in decoding this genome sequence is to explore genetic differences and examine the characteristics of genetic diseases found among the Mongolian people.

Genome sequencing also provides information that scientists can use in tracing a person’s ancestry. As indicated above, testing the Y chromosome is often used to trace paternal lineages. DNA Diagnostics Center offers Y-chromosome comparison testing to investigate a possible paternal lineage between two males.

Our Ancestry division also offers a Y-STR test that gives ancestry researchers their Y haplogroup—revealing the geographic origins of their direct paternal ancestor. Genghis Khan belongs to the Haplogroup C.