| The apparent missing value is due to a mutation called a "SNP" near DYS439 which interferes with the test process and prevents a value from being detected. See an FTDNA null439 presentation that shows details about the SNP.
SNPs are passed down from father to son, and all males with a null439 SNP descend from a common ancestor who lived within the last 5000 years. Most null439 males with known origins have roots in England or Germany (see the News tab).
The null439 SNP is also called "S26". S26 defines the R1b1c9a sub-clade and is carried by about a half of one percent of R1b males. S26 is "downstream" of the SNP S21, which is carried by about 25% of R1b males.
If the FTDNA lab fails to detect a value at DYS439, they will test the sample two more times before declaring it to have a null value. This means very few results are mis-identified as a null439 when they are not.
Only FTDNA can "detect" null439s, though we list some results from other labs who have a very close match with known null439 results, even though their null439 status is not confirmed with a blue 12.
If your Family Tree DNA report shows you have an asterisk beside DYS439, then we welcome you to join the null439 project. Click the JOIN icon at the left of your MyFTDNA page and select the null439 project.
Go to the Results tab to see a listing of known null439 surnames and results, and to the News tab for a discussion of possible null439 connections and origins. Please contact Leo Little at lwlittle@yahoo.com for further information. |