From the moment your DNA sample has been received at our CLIA-certified laboratory in the USA, the first thing we do is verify that it is readable and that all necessary components are in place.
What happens next?
DNA extraction
Your DNA sample is a collection of your cells, and your DNA is tucked away into the nucleus of each of these cells. In order to analyze the DNA molecule we first need to extract it from the cells contained in your sample.
We begin the extraction process by transferring your sample onto a deep well plate containing a total of 96 samples. We inject the sample with a special substance that eats away at any contaminants on the sample, leaving it clean and ready for extraction. Finally, our extraction robot separates the DNA from any other materials in the sample.
Microarray process
The microarray process is the translation of biological information into digital raw data. Once we have extracted the DNA from your sample, we need to make lots of copies of it so that we have enough substance for analysis. This process of copying your entire genome millions of times is called amplification.
Next, we place your DNA onto our specialized Illumina chip. The DNA binds to the chip in a process called hybridization. The chip is chemically stained so the different fragments of DNA on the chip can be read by a laser. After the staining, the chip is ready for scanning in our iScan chip scanner, which produces an image of your DNA data.
Raw data production
Your DNA data is loaded into our highly secured server and analyzed by both automated algorithms and our data scientists.
Once the raw data is produced, we will have a digital file associated with your kit number.
Our algorithms calculate your Ethnicity Estimate, by estimating which pieces of your DNA originate from different regions in the world. We also compare your DNA to that of other users who took our test or uploaded their raw DNA data to MyHeritage, and locate matches with people who share segments of your DNA.
Once your results are ready, you can view them as outlined in the following article: Where can I see my DNA results?
Note: DNA samples received in the lab on the same day are not necessarily processed at the same time. We will notify you by email as soon as the results for each DNA set are available. In the meantime, you can check the status of each kit in the DNA kit tracker.
Watch this short video to see how your DNA sample is processed in our laboratory!
MyHeritage DNA Lab from MyHeritage on Vimeo.