Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Genealogy News Bytes - Week of 8 to 14 October 2025

 Welcome to Genealogy News Bytes, posted on Tuesday afternoon for the past week, where we try to highlight the most important genealogy and family history news  items that came across our desktop since the last issue.    


1)  Genealogy and Family History News Articles:











2)  DNA/IGG-Related News Articles




4)  New or Updated Genealogy Digital Record Collections:









5)  Did you miss the last post in this series?  See Genealogy News Bytes - Week of 1 to 7 October 2025.


                          =========================================


Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.  
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Alma Bessie (Richmond) Seaver's Life Memories - An AI-Assisted Memoir

I wrote a genealogical sketch for my paternal grandfather, Frederick Walton Seaver (1876-1942)  in My Paternal Grandmother, Alma Bessie (Richmond) Seaver (1882-1962), based on the records found that document her life, in addition to interviews with her children.

(AI Gemini enhanced image of Alma Besse (Richmond) Seaver at her piano in about 1925)

1)  Based on the genealogical sketch, I requested Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4 to create a memoir spoken by Frederick Walton Seaver talking about his life in 1940.  The prompt was:  "Please write a memoir for Alma Bessie (Richmond) Seaver based on the attached genealogical sketch, as she might tell to her grandchildren in early 1962."

The AI Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4 memoir (lightly edited for accuracy) is:

Grandma Bess's Story

A Memoir for My Grandchildren

As told by Alma Bessie (Richmond) Seaver, 1962


My dear grandchildren,

I'm eighty years old now, and when you reach such an age, you realize that memories are the treasures we leave behind. I want to tell you about my life—where I came from, how I grew up, and the journey that brought me to this moment, blessed with all of you.

A Musical Childhood in Mill Towns

I was born on February 16, 1882, in Killingly, Connecticut, the seventh of nine children. Can you imagine? Our house was never quiet! My parents were Thomas and Julia Richmond -- Papa had come from England as a boy, and Mama was from Connecticut. We were always moving, following Papa's work in the textile mills. From Rhode Island to Connecticut and finally to Massachusetts, where we settled in Leominster when I was in my teens.

But wherever we lived, we had music. Oh, such music! Papa was a tenor and choir director, and Mama played the organ and piano. In our home, music wasn't just entertainment—it was as necessary as breathing. Papa would lead us in songs, and Mama's fingers would dance across the piano keys every evening.

I had eight brothers and sisters: Annie, Frederic (who died when he was just five), Everett, Grace, Emily, Charles, Edwin, and little Jimmy. We lost several of them far too young—that was the way of things back then. But we were a close family, active in the Episcopal Church wherever we went, and music bound us all together.

Learning My Craft

From the time I was small, I was drawn to the piano like a moth to flame. Mama and Papa saw I had a gift, and they nurtured it. I would practice for hours, my fingers learning the patterns, the rhythms, the way notes could weave together to create something beautiful. I fell in love with Chopin—his music spoke to something deep in my soul. Those complex, romantic pieces became my favorites, and I still play them today when my fingers cooperate.

When I was a teenager, I took organ lessons, and before I knew it, I was playing the church organ at St. Mark's Episcopal Church here in Leominster. Imagine—a young girl, barely old enough to understand the responsibility, playing for the whole congregation! But I loved it. There was something sacred about making music in that holy space, helping people lift their voices in praise.

A June Wedding

In 1900, when I was just eighteen years old, I married your grandfather, Frederick Walton Seaver. We called him Fred. The wedding was on June 21st, right there in my parents' home on Summer Street. I wore a dress of Swiss muslin with Valenciennes lace and white satin ribbon, and I carried pink roses and a white prayer book.

I can still see that evening so clearly—the room decorated with laurel, daisies, and roses, Reverend Brown conducting the full Episcopal service, Papa giving me away with tears in his eyes, and my friend Jennie Marcy playing the wedding march. About twenty-five of our closest family and friends were there. After the ceremony and reception, Fred and I walked to our new home at 149 Lancaster Street, where we'd live with his parents and grandmother Hildreth.

I was so young! Just eighteen, and about to begin my life as a wife. Fred was working in a comb factory—Leominster was famous for its combs back then, made from celluloid. We didn't have much, but we had each other and dreams for the future.

Seven Children in Seventeen Years

Those next years went by in a blur of babies and bottles, diapers and dishes. Your parents and aunts and uncles came one after another:

Marion arrived first, in November 1901. Then Evelyn in March 1903. We moved to Fitchburg when Fred became a superintendent, and that's where Stanley was born in 1905. Oh, Stanley—my sweet boy. He was only four when scarlet fever took him from us in 1910. You never get over losing a child. Never. Even now, fifty-two years later, I think of him and wonder what kind of man he would have become.

Ruth came in 1907, and Frederick Jr. in 1911. We moved back to Leominster in 1912 when Fred got a position at the Paton Manufacturing Company. We lived in a big house right on the factory grounds at 290 Central Street. Edward was born there in 1913, and finally Geraldine, my baby, in 1917.

Seven children in seventeen years. Seven babies to feed and clothe and love and worry over. I had to give up playing the organ at church—there simply wasn't time. That was hard for me, harder than I let anyone know. Music was part of who I was, and suddenly it had to take a back seat to everything else.

My Salvation: The Piano After Dinner

But I found a way. Every evening after dinner, I would go to the piano. The older girls could handle the dishes, and for two hours—sometimes more—I would play. This became my ritual, my sanctuary, my way of staying myself in the midst of all those demands.

Gerry remembers it, I know. She's told me how she would lie in bed upstairs, listening to the strains of Chopin floating up from the parlor. That piano saved me, children. When you're raising seven children, you can lose yourself entirely if you're not careful. But those evening hours at the piano reminded me that I was still Bessie Richmond, the girl who loved music, not just Mama who cooked and cleaned and worried.

I would play from memory -- I learned pieces so quickly that I barely needed the sheet music. My fingers knew where to go, and the music would pour out of me like prayer. Those were sacred hours, and your grandfather understood. He never once complained or asked me to give them up.

Life in the Mill Towns

We moved several times as Fred advanced in his career. From Leominster to Fitchburg and back to Leominster again. The children went to different schools -- Highland Avenue, Maverick Street, Goddard Street. They made friends, lost friends when we moved, made new ones.

When we lived at 290 Central Street, the house was heated by warm air piped in from the factory. Can you imagine? We had a barn we used as a garage, chicken coops, rabbit hutches. A brook ran alongside the house. The children had space to play and explore, and we were happy there.

In the 1920s, we bought a cottage on Whalom Lake. Summer weekends there were glorious -- swimming, relaxing, away from the heat and bustle of town. We took a few trips to Cape Cod, too. By then the older children were teenagers, and we were finally able to breathe a little easier financially.

When DuPont bought the Paton company in 1927, we moved to 20 Hall Street, right across from the high school. Fred worked as superintendent of the toothbrush division until he retired in 1941, but we lost our home during the Depression, and had to move into an apartment on Main Street. We had a good life. Not fancy, but comfortable and filled with love.

Returning to the Organ

In 1923, something wonderful happened. My youngest children were old enough that I could reclaim another piece of myself. I went back to playing the organ at St. Mark's Episcopal Church—the same church where I'd played as a teenager, the same church where Fred and I were married.

For eighteen years, I served that congregation faithfully, playing every Sunday. It felt like coming home. My fingers on those organ keys, the music filling the sanctuary, the congregation singing—this was what I was meant to do. I kept that position until 1941, when Fred became ill.

Loss and Loneliness

Fred retired in 1941, but he didn't get to enjoy it long. He died on March 13, 1942, at the hospital in Lawrence. We'd been married for nearly forty-two years. Forty-two years of partnership, of raising children together, of building a life. And then he was gone.

I won't lie to you, children. Those first months were dark. You don't spend that many years with someone and then adjust easily to their absence. The house felt empty, even with Gerry still at home. Everything reminded me of him.

But life goes on, and in July of 1942, just four months after Fred died, Gerry and I took the train all the way across the country to San Diego for Frederick Jr.'s wedding to Betty. He left in December 1940 and ended up there. It was my first time in California, and oh, what a journey! Three thousand miles by train. The landscapes changing outside the window, desert and mountains, so different from Massachusetts. The wedding was lovely, though bittersweet without Fred there to see his son married.

New Chapters

After we came home, Gerry and I moved to Northampton where she was teaching music. But after a couple of years, I felt the pull back to Leominster. This is where I've spent most of my life, where my friends are, where most of my children and grandchildren live. I needed to come home.

So I got an apartment and found work—I became music director and organist at a Methodist church in Fitchburg and organist at the Episcopal church in Whalom. At my age, still working! But I loved it. I'm not one to sit idle, and making music for worship services gives my life purpose.

The Joy of Grandchildren

And then you all started arriving! Eleven grandchildren, each one precious beyond measure. Some of you live here in New England where I can see you regularly—birthdays, holidays, Sunday dinners. Three of them are in California, which is so far away, but they are always in my heart, and we send Christmas packages. And now there are fourteen great-grandchildren!

I love watching you grow up, seeing what kind of people you're becoming. When you were little, I'd listen to your troubles as if they were the most important things in the world—because to you, they were. I remember what it's like to be young, to have your whole life stretching out before you full of possibility and uncertainty.

In 1959, when I was seventy-seven, I got to take one more grand adventure. Evelyn and Walter drove me out to California and back. Three thousand miles each way! Can you imagine? At my age, crossing the country by car. But it meant I got to meet my three California grandsons in person. Frederick Jr.'s boys -- I got to hold them, talk to them, get to know them, not just see them in photographs. That was a gift.

What I've Learned

I've lived through so much change. When I was born, there were no automobiles, no airplanes, no radios. We had gaslights, not electricity. I've watched the world transform in ways my parents could never have imagined. Two world wars, the Great Depression, the incredible boom that came after. Leominster changed from textile mills to comb factories to plastics manufacturing.

But some things don't change. Family matters. Faith matters. Music matters. Love matters.

I've learned that life will break your heart—I buried my little Stanley, I've buried my parents and your grandfather, I've lost siblings and dear friends. But life will also fill your heart to overflowing with joy-- six children who survived and thrived, eleven grandchildren who light up my world, and now fourteen great-grandchildren!

I've learned that you have to hold onto the things that make you who you are. For me, that was music. Even when I had to set it aside for a while, I found ways to keep it in my life. Those evening hours at the piano weren't selfish—they were necessary. You can't pour from an empty cup, as they say.

I've learned that beauty and hardship come intertwined. The same fingers that played Chopin and hymns also scrubbed floors and changed diapers. The same heart that soared with music also broke with grief. That's life -- not one or the other, but both.

My Wish for You

My dear grandchildren, I'm eighty years old now. I've lived a long life, and I'm tired. But I'm also deeply, profoundly grateful. I got to make music, to marry a good man, to raise children who became good people, to know and love all of you.

My wish for you is simple: Find what you love and hold onto it. Build families of your own and cherish them. Face hardships with courage and joys with gratitude. Remember where you came from—those English and Connecticut roots, those textile mills and comb factories, those hymns and Chopin nocturnes.

And when you hear piano music, especially Chopin, think of me. Think of your grandmother who played until her fingers grew stiff with age, who found in music a language for all the things she couldn't say with words. Think of a girl born in 1882 who lived to see 1962, who witnessed a century of change but held fast to what mattered most.

I love you all, more than these words can express. More than any music could convey, even Chopin at his most beautiful. You are my legacy, my joy, my hope for the future.

Remember me fondly -- Your loving grandmother, Bessie


Alma Bessie (Richmond) Seaver passed away on June 29, 1962, at Leominster Hospital after a long illness. She was surrounded by the love of her large family to the very end.

2) Here is the Audio Overview "podcast" file for Alma Bessie (Richmond) Seaver's memoir from Google NotebookLM (based on the referenced genealogical sketch).

3)  The Google NotebookLM Video discussing Alma Bessie (Richmond) Seaver's memories is below: 

4)  I sure wish I could have heard my grandmother say these words, in her interesting New England accent, to her grandchildren as she neared the end of her life.  I only met her once, when I was 15 years old and she visited California in 1959 for a week or so but she stayed with her sister Emily's family. We were not wise enough or smart enough to ask her about her life story or her family. 

5)  I think that these relatively short memoirs are poignant and will be interesting to her descendants, and especially to me.

This format provides a different perspective than a biography, doesn't it?  It is historical fiction,  but many of the historical facts from the genealogical sketch are included and it rings true to me.  

I will write more of these AI-assisted memoirs or life memories as told by my ancestors as time goes on.  This is great genealogy fun for me!

==============================================

Links to my blog posts about using Artificial Intelligence are on my Randy's AI and Genealogy page.  Links to AI information and articles about Artificial Intelligence in Genealogy by other genealogists are on my AI and Genealogy Compendium page.

Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver


Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.  Note that all comments are moderated, so they may not appear immediately.

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Ask AI: What Can I Do With a Whole Genome Sequencing File, and What Can It Tell Me?

 MyHeritage DNA just released the information that they will provide a Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) file for some of their DNA testers - the ones being processed at their lab and future kits processed.  In an email, they noted:

"Whole Genome Sequencing reads almost the entire human genetic code, covering around 3 billion base pairs (nucleotides). This is superior to the standard genotyping arrays used by most consumer DNA tests, including MyHeritage until recently, which read only about 700,000 base pairs. More data enables deeper insights across all types of genetic analysis. Whole Genome Sequencing is now being applied to most new MyHeritage DNA kits currently being processed at the lab, and to every new MyHeritage DNA kit sold moving forward. MyHeritage DNA kits already processed with the older genotyping array technology will not be reprocessed with Whole Genome Sequencing. Customers whose MyHeritage DNA kits are processed with Whole Genome Sequencing will be able to download their entire genome from MyHeritage at no cost, in CRAM format."


At first reading, MyHeritage seems to be saying "We are not going to do Whole Genome Sequencing on previously submitted DNA kits - only on currently in-process kits and new kits."

That implies that if I want to have my Whole Genome Sequencing performed, I need to buy a new MyHeritagte DNA test and have it processed by MyHeritageDNA. 

1)  My first reaction to this was:  Huh?  If I have WGS test results, how can I use this information?  Where can I use it?  What will it tell me?

My second reaction was to ask the FREE OpenAI ChatGPT5 with this prompt:  "What can I do with a Whole Genome Sequencing file of my own DNA? What companies can "read" it, and what information can they provide about my genetic makeup?"

2)  OpenAI ChatGPT5 helpfully (I think!) replied:

Great question — having your whole genome sequencing (WGS) (or data derived from it) opens up a lot of possibilities — but also a lot of caveats. Below is a breakdown of what you can do, what limitations/challenges you’ll face, and what companies or services exist to help you interpret it.


What is a “whole genome sequence file”?

First, by “whole genome sequence file,” you might mean different file formats:

  • Raw read files (FASTQ) — the direct output from the sequencing instrument, containing millions to billions of short reads.

  • Aligned reads (BAM / CRAM) — those reads aligned to a reference genome.

  • Variant calls (VCF or gVCF) — this is the interpreted file that says: “at position X you differ from the reference in this way (SNP, insertion, deletion, structural variant, etc.).”

  • Annotation reports / interpreted reports — the clinical or consumer‐facing summaries of what variants might matter, what traits or risks they link to.

Most consumer / downstream services work with the variant file (VCF) or derived annotation files. The raw data files are huge and require specialized tools to handle.

As an example, companies like Dante Labs or Nebula Genomics provide your genome in multiple file formats (FASTQ, BAM, VCF) so you can use downstream tools. (Sequencing)


What you can do (on your own or with tools)

If you have the sequence / variant data, here are some things you can do (or try):

Activity

What it involves / tools

What you might learn

Challenges / caveats

Ancestry / population genetics

Use tools that compare your genome with population reference panels (e.g. PCA, admixture analyses)

Proportions of ancestry from different populations, relatedness to others

Interpretation is probabilistic; reference populations may be biased

Gene / trait association scanning

Annotate all variants (SNPs, indels) for known trait/disease associations using resources like ClinVar, GWAS catalogs

Known risk alleles, protective alleles, carrier status for recessive conditions

Most variants are of “unknown significance” — i.e. no clear known effect; many trait associations have small effect sizes

Pharmacogenomics

Look up variants known to affect drug metabolism (e.g. CYP genes)

Whether certain drugs may be more or less effective or more likely to cause side effects for you

Must be careful — drug decisions should always involve a medical professional

Rare disease / Mendelian variant search

If you or a relative has a phenotype (disease, symptom), you might search for rare or damaging mutations in genes known to cause such phenotypes

Candidate causal variants or genes

Requires good variant filtering, interpretation, domain knowledge. Many variants are inconclusive (“variants of uncertain significance”)

Structural variant / large rearrangement detection

With sufficiently good sequencing or additional analysis, detect duplications, deletions, inversions, translocations

Variation beyond SNPs / small indels

Tools are more complex; signal/noise issues; many structural variants have unclear clinical meaning

Re‐analysis over time

As scientific knowledge advances, a variant previously “unknown” might become better interpreted

You can re‐interpret your genome periodically

Requires good recordkeeping and access to updated annotation databases

Sharing / comparison with others

You might upload parts of your genome (or select variants) to genealogy / matching services, or share with researchers or family members

Identify relatives, shared segments, reconstruct pedigree relationships

Privacy risks, data security, ethics, consent issues

Some in the bioinformatics community mention tools and services like Geneiobio, OpenCRAVAT, GATK, bcftools etc. for doing your own analyses. (Reddit)

One blog post notes that once you have your WGS, you have many files (FASTQ, BAM, VCF) and you must decide which files to feed into “DNA analysis apps / reports.” (Sequencing)


What companies / services “read” your genome and what they provide

There are several commercial and academic/clinical services that accept your genome (or will sequence + interpret) and provide reports. The offerings vary quite a bit in depth, cost, regulatory / clinical validity, and what they promise. Below are some examples and categories.

Consumer / Direct-to-Consumer / Genomics startups

These tend to provide health / trait / ancestry reports, often not strictly clinical (i.e. for informational / wellness purposes):

  • Nebula Genomics — offers whole genome sequencing plus trait/health interpretations. (Wikipedia)

  • Dante Labs — provides WGS + analysis / reports. (Dante Labs Global)

  • Veritas Genetics — historically has done WGS + interpretation (cancer risk, pharmacogenomics, etc.). However, their operations have had some changes. (Veritas)

  • Genetic Genie — a third‐party interpretive service; you can upload VCF / raw data and get trait / methylation / pharmacogenomics style reports. (Genetic Genie)

These companies might report on:

  • Carrier status (for recessive diseases)

  • Risk or predisposition to common diseases (heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, etc.)

  • Pharmacogenomics (how you metabolize certain drugs)

  • Traits (eye color, height, etc.)

  • Ancestry / genealogical estimates

  • Genetic “wellness” traits (some feel these are speculative)

But note: many such associations are probabilistic, not deterministic. Also, consumer reports may not have clinical regulatory oversight (i.e. not necessarily CLIA / CAP certified in the U.S.).

Clinical / Diagnostic / Medical Genomics Labs

These companies or labs operate under regulatory frameworks, and aim to provide medically actionable results (particularly for rare diseases, cancer, or diagnostics). They interpret variants in the context of disease phenotypes. Examples:

  • Baylor Genetics — they run clinical WGS and interpret variants in disease / diagnostic contexts. (Baylor Genetics)

  • CentoGenome / Centogene — they offer comprehensive WGS for rare / neurodegenerative diseases. (CENTOGENE)

  • Illumina Clinical Services / Illumina’s clinical lab — they perform clinical-grade WGS. (Illumina)

  • Broad Clinical Labs — they offer research and clinical WGS services. (Broad Clinical Labs)

  • Revvity Omics — provides WGS as a clinical service. (Revvity)

  • Other specialty molecular / genomic diagnostic labs often partner with hospitals or academic medical centers.

These services typically provide:

  • Pathogenic / likely pathogenic variant identification in genes relevant to your condition

  • Variants of uncertain significance (VUS), with appropriate notes / disclaimers

  • Insight that may guide medical decisions (if known and validated)

  • Reports with genetic counseling included or recommended

  • In some cases, reanalysis in the future as evidence evolves

One recent review notes that in clinical practice, WGS is increasingly used and is done at ~30× coverage, paired‐end, and allows detection of structural variants. (BioMed Central)


What kind of information you can get (and what you probably won’t get)

What you can reasonably expect

  • Carrier status for many recessive disorders (if you carry one “bad copy”)

  • Strong risk / causal mutations (if present) for some monogenic diseases, particularly if there is supporting evidence

  • Pharmacogenomic guidance for certain drugs (metabolism, dosing)

  • Ancestry / population genetics insight

  • Some trait / phenotype associations (often small effect size)

  • Structural variants or CNVs in well‐characterized disease genes

  • Variant reanalysis over time — updating interpretations as new research emerges

What you probably won’t get (or will get with low confidence)

  • Complete insight into polygenic / complex disease risk (e.g. for common diseases) — many variants have very small effects, and environmental / lifestyle factors dominate

  • A perfect “blueprint” of health — presence of a risk allele doesn’t guarantee disease (penetrance, gene–environment interaction, epigenetics, etc.)

  • Definitive answers for all traits / conditions — many genes or variants are poorly understood or remain “variants of uncertain significance”

  • Fine‐scale regulatory / noncoding variant interpretation — these are still actively researched and often ambiguous

  • Accurate prediction of future disease beyond what genetics + environment allow

In clinical genetics, many variant calls remain “variants of uncertain significance (VUS)” — meaning we don’t currently know whether they’re harmful, benign, or somewhere in between.


Things to watch out for / caveats / ethical considerations

  • Privacy & data security — genomic data is sensitive. If a service is hacked or data leaked, there could be implications for insurance, employment, etc. (laws like GINA in the U.S. provide some protection, but not perfect).

  • Regulatory / clinical validity — not all variant associations are validated; consumer reports may overstate certainty.

  • Psychological impact — learning of risk for serious diseases can be stressful; genetic counseling is recommended with clinical tests.

  • False positives / false negatives — sequencing and variant calling are not perfect; also rare variants might be missed.

  • Reinterpretation over time — a variant might be classified as uncertain now and become known later (or vice versa).

  • Consent & sharing — if you share your genome with relatives, they’re indirectly affected (they share parts).


Strategy advice: how you might proceed

  1. Check what you already have — is your file a VCF, gVCF, or something else? How many variants are called?

  2. Choose a reputable interpretive service — ideally one that has peer reviews, uses up‐to‐date variant databases (ClinVar, gnomAD, HGMD, etc.), and provides disclaimers / counseling.

  3. If your interest is medical / diagnostic, go via a clinical genetics lab (often via a physician).

  4. Do your own exploration carefully — tools like OpenCRAVAT, Ensembl Variant Effect Predictor (VEP), ClinVar browser, etc., can help, if you are comfortable with bioinformatics.

  5. Reanalyze in the future — keep your data in safe storage so you can revisit it as knowledge improves.

  6. Be skeptical — treat any prediction or risk estimate as probabilistic, and consult professionals when using for medical decisions.


If you like, I can suggest a few currently active services (in 2025) that accept your existing WGS data (or will sequence + interpret) and compare their pros, cons, cost, and reliability. Would you like me to do that?

3)  Well! I wish I understood any of that. I get carrier status, risks, traits, etc. Will I be able to tell where my eye color, hair color, baldness pattern, left-handedness, analytical nature, etc. come from? Probably - the AncestryDNA Traits tell me some of that already.

It may be a whole new Genetic Genealogy World!!

But MyHeritageDNA will provide a CRAM file.  Can I use that for all of the above?

4) My next prompt was: "MyHeritageDNA will provide a CRAM file of my WGS. Does all of the above apply to using a CRAM file?"

5) The OpenAI ChatGPT5 response was:

Excellent question — yes, almost all of the above applies — but there are important technical distinctions in how a CRAM file fits into the workflow and what you can actually do with it.

Let’s break this down clearly:


🧬 What a CRAM File Is

A CRAM file is a compressed version of a BAM file — it contains your aligned sequencing reads (that is, the millions of DNA fragments from your sequencing run, already mapped to the human reference genome).

  • BAM = Binary Alignment Map (uncompressed or less-compressed)

  • CRAM = Compressed Reference-based Alignment Map (uses the reference genome to save space)

So, in essence, the CRAM file contains:

  • Each sequencing read (after quality filtering and alignment)

  • The chromosomal position where it aligns

  • Base quality scores

  • Metadata (sequencing instrument, sample ID, read group, etc.)

It does not directly contain “variants” (like SNPs or indels), but the information to call them is inside.


⚙️ What You Can (and Cannot) Do with a CRAM File

Task Can You Do It with a CRAM File? Notes / Tools
Generate a variant call (VCF/gVCF) ✅ Yes You can use tools like GATK, bcftools, or DeepVariant to call variants. This is the first step to make your data usable by most interpretation services.
Upload to consumer interpretation services ⚠️ Sometimes Most third-party DNA services (e.g., Genetic Genie, Sequencing.com, Nebula interpretation portal) require a VCF file. You’ll likely need to convert the CRAM → VCF first.
View in genome browsers ✅ Yes You can visualize your reads in tools like IGV (Integrative Genomics Viewer) to inspect alignments, coverage, etc.
Perform ancestry analysis / health trait analysis ⚠️ Indirectly Only after generating variant calls. CRAM is “raw-ish” — you need variants to analyze genetic makeup.
Reanalyze with improved tools later ✅ Yes Because it’s aligned, you can always recall variants as methods improve (e.g., better references like GRCh38 → T2T).
Compute coverage / quality metrics ✅ Yes You can assess sequencing quality, coverage uniformity, etc. using tools like samtools.

🧠 How to Go From CRAM → Interpretable Data

If MyHeritage gives you a CRAM file, you can process it this way:

  1. Obtain the reference genome they used (likely GRCh38 / hg38).

  2. Use samtools or GATK to convert CRAM → BAM (if needed):

    samtools view -b -T reference.fa input.cram -o output.bam
    
  3. Run variant calling using one of:

    • GATK HaplotypeCaller

    • bcftools mpileup + call

    • DeepVariant (Google’s AI-based caller)

  4. You’ll get a VCF or gVCF file, which contains your variant calls (the interpretable part).

  5. Then, you can upload the VCF to:

    • Sequencing.com – health and trait reports

    • Nebula Genomics – reanalysis / interpretation

    • Ensembl Variant Effect Predictor (VEP) – gene and effect annotation

    • OpenCRAVAT – custom annotation for disease and pharmacogenomics

    • ClinVar or gnomAD lookups – to see known variant effects


🔍 Why the CRAM Is Valuable

The CRAM file is the richest version of your genome data, short of the raw FASTQ reads.
Because it contains all aligned read data, you can:

  • Recompute variants using newer pipelines later.

  • Identify complex structural variants not captured by a simple SNP VCF.

  • Check quality if a variant call looks uncertain.

Essentially, it gives you future-proof access to your entire genome, allowing deeper or re-analyses as technology and databases improve.


⚠️ Key Caveats

  • File size: CRAMs are huge (typically 60–100 GB for 30× coverage). You’ll need substantial disk space and RAM for processing.

  • Software setup: You’ll need bioinformatics tools (samtools, GATK, bcftools, etc.) or a service that accepts CRAM directly.

  • Privacy: Treat it like your digital fingerprint — never share it casually.

  • Compatibility: If a company asks for a VCF, you can easily generate one from CRAM, but uploading CRAM directly often isn’t supported.


✅ Summary

Concept CRAM File VCF File
Type of data Aligned sequencing reads Identified genetic variants
File size Large (tens of GB) Small (MBs)
Contains raw read data? Yes No
Readable by most consumer sites? Usually no Yes
Allows future reanalysis? Yes Limited
Good for immediate interpretation? No (needs variant calling) Yes

If you’d like, I can create a step-by-step guide (with tools and free options) for converting your MyHeritage CRAM file into a VCF and then uploading it to a few interpretation platforms for health, traits, and ancestry.

Would you like me to do that next?

6)  Now I have a lot of information and not enough knowledge, and no CRAM file yet.  I will wait and see how this plays out.  

Here is a YouTube video about taking the Whole Genome sample to a report:


What does the information in a WGS look like? Here's an image from the video before the analysis and report:

7)  What's in the future?  Will MyHeritageDNA provide the analytical services for the Whole Genome Sequencing file in the future?  Stay tuned!

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Disclosure: I receive a complimentary Complete subscription to MyHeritage, and have received other material considerations in past years. I uploaded my autosomal DNA raw data to their DNA product. This does not affect my objective analysis of MyHeritage products. I am a paid subscriber to Family Tree Webinars and love it.

The URL for this post is: 

Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Share it on X, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.  Note that all comments are moderated, so they may not appear immediately.

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Seavers in the News -- 1986 Obituary of John L. Seaver (1891-1986) of Wallingford, Vermont

 Here is this week's edition of "Seavers in the News" - a weekly feature from the historical newspapers about persons with the surname Seaver that are interesting, useful, mysterious, fun, macabre, or add information to my family tree database.

This week's entry is from The Rutland [Vt.] Daily Herald newspaper dated Thursday, 7 August 1986, Page 11, Column 7:

The transcription of the article is:

"John L. Seaver

"WALLINGFORD -- John Lovett Seaver, 94, of Franklin Street died Wednesday afternoon at the Rutland Regional Medical Center following a brief illness.

"He was born in Wallingford on Nov. 28, 1891, son of James and Mary (Lovett) Seaver.

"A U.S. Army veteran, Mr. Seaver served during the First World War.

"A longtime resident of the Clarendon Springs area, Mr. Seaver had lived in Wallingford the past three years. He made his home with his grandnephew and his grandnephew's wife, Thomas and Anne Campbell.

"Prior to his retirement Mr. Seaver had worked for the Vermont Railroad as an accountant.

"He was the widower of the late Hazel Seaver.

"Mr. Seaver is survived by three nieces, Mrs. Joan Campbell of Tinmouth, Mrs. Charlotte Aines of Danby and Mrs. Thelma Sullivan of Simsbury, Conn.; a nephew, William Seaver of Springfield; and many grandnephews and grandnieces.
 
"A funeral service will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at the Wallingford Aldous Funeral Home with the Rev. Robert Whalen, pastor of the St. Patrick's Church, officiating.  Burial will follow in Evergeen Cemetery.

"Friends may call at the funeral home one hour prior to the funeral service on Friday."

The source citation is:

"John L. Seaver," The Rutland [Vt.] Daily Herald newspaper, Thursday, 7 August 1986, page 11, column 7, Thomas L.  Seaver obituary; imaged,  Newspapers.com    (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 13 October 2025).

John Lovett Seaver was born 28 November 1891 in Wallingford, Vermont, the son of James Frank and Mary (--?--) Seaver.  He died 6 August 1986 in Rutland, Vermont.  John married Hazel Mary McCabe (1893-1965) in about 1920.  They had no children. 

I am a 5th cousin 3 times removed to John Lovett Seaver, with the common Seaver ancestor being 7th great-grandfather, Joseph Seaver (1672-1754). 

You never know when a descendant or relative will find this blog post and learn something about their ancestors or relatives, or will provide more information about them to me.

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Disclosure:  I have a paid subscription to Ancestry.com and Newspapers.com and have used it extensively to find articles about my ancestral and one-name families.


Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.    Share it on Twitter, Facebook,  or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.  Please note that all comments are moderated, and may not appear immediately.

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MyHeritage Upgrades Its Consumer DNA Tests to Whole Genome Sequencing

 I received this information from Daniel Horowitz of MyHeritage today:

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MyHeritage Upgrades Its Consumer DNA Tests to Whole Genome Sequencing

MyHeritage becomes the first major DNA testing company to fully adopt Whole Genome Sequencing; the upgrade leverages technology by Ultima Genomics and processing at the Gene by Gene lab

TEL AVIV, Israel & LEHI, Utah & HOUSTON & FREMONT, California October 14 , 2025 — MyHeritage, the leading global platform for family history and DNA testing, announced today a landmark move to Whole Genome Sequencing for its at-home DNA test, MyHeritage DNA. Leveraging cutting-edge sequencing technology from Ultima Genomics and processing at the Gene by Gene lab, MyHeritage is the first major consumer DNA testing company to adopt Whole Genome Sequencing at a scale of more than one million tests per year. The enriched data will empower MyHeritage to deliver more accurate ethnicity analysis and DNA matching, and unlock opportunities for future innovation in consumer genomics and genetic genealogy.

Whole Genome Sequencing reads almost the entire human genetic code, covering around 3 billion base pairs (nucleotides). This is superior to the standard genotyping arrays used by most consumer DNA tests, including MyHeritage until recently, which read only about 700,000 base pairs. More data enables deeper insights across all types of genetic analysis. Whole Genome Sequencing is now being applied to most new MyHeritage DNA kits currently being processed at the lab, and to every new MyHeritage DNA kit sold moving forward. MyHeritage DNA kits already processed with the older genotyping array technology will not be reprocessed with Whole Genome Sequencing. Customers whose MyHeritage DNA kits are processed with Whole Genome Sequencing will be able to download their entire genome from MyHeritage at no cost, in CRAM format. They may also unlock additional insights by uploading their data to other trusted genetic service providers that support such uploads.

Due to its high technological potential, MyHeritage has been eying Whole Genome Sequencing for years. A pioneering study by the MyHeritage Science Team published in 2020 validated Whole Genome Sequencing for reliable relative matching at scale. Following that study, MyHeritage has been collaborating closely with Ultima Genomics since its emergence from stealth mode in mid-2022, and later jointly with Gene by Gene, to prepare the scientific and logistical foundation for upgrading the MyHeritage DNA processing pipeline to Whole Genome Sequencing using Ultima’s technology. The upgrade was completed successfully and creates new opportunities for MyHeritage to deliver deeper insights into ethnic origins, family connections, and genetic genealogy, without any price increase to consumers. Even before this upgrade, MyHeritage was consistently the most affordable DNA test on the market among the major DNA testing companies. The upgrade to Whole Genome Sequencing makes the MyHeritage offering even more compelling.

“This is a pivotal moment for genetic genealogy,” said Gilad Japhet, Founder and CEO of MyHeritage. “We are proud to take this pioneering step into Whole Genome Sequencing together with Ultima Genomics and with our longstanding partners at Gene by Gene. MyHeritage customers will enjoy the fruits of this technological upgrade for years to come, through increased accuracy, deeper insights, and exciting new products.”

“MyHeritage’s move to Whole Genome Sequencing marks a major milestone for consumer DNA testing,” said Dr. Gilad Almogy, Founder and CEO of Ultima Genomics. “It demonstrates the scalability and maturity of Ultima’s innovative technology and accelerates the immense value that Whole Genome Sequencing can bring to consumers. It has been a pleasure collaborating with MyHeritage over the past few years, and we are proud to work together with them and Gene by Gene to bring genetic genealogy to new heights for millions of consumers worldwide.”

“The transition to Whole Genome Sequencing represents the most ambitious project in our years-long partnership with MyHeritage,” said Dr. Lior Rauchberger, CEO of Gene by Gene. “We are proud to help set a new standard in consumer genomics and support the growth of what will soon become the world’s largest database of whole genomes. The rollout is centered at Gene by Gene’s state-of-the-art laboratory in Houston, Texas, which will house a large fleet of Ultima UG100™ sequencing instruments.”

Privacy Commitment

MyHeritage is committed to the privacy and security of its customers' data. All genetic data is encrypted and stored securely, and MyHeritage does not sell or license data to third parties. MyHeritage strictly prohibits the use of its platform by law enforcement. All genetic samples are automatically destroyed by the lab after processing, except those stored securely for customers who have enrolled in the MyHeritage DNA BioBank service. This provides customers with peace of mind not offered by most other major DNA testing companies.

About MyHeritage

MyHeritage is the leading global platform for family history. It enriches the lives of people worldwide by enabling them to uncover more about themselves and where they belong. With a suite of intuitive products, billions of historical records, AI-powered photo tools, and an affordable at-home DNA test, MyHeritage creates a meaningful discovery experience that is deeply rewarding. The MyHeritage platform is enjoyed by more than 62 million people around the world who treasure and celebrate their heritage. MyHeritage is committed to the privacy and security of its customer data and is available globally in 42 languages. www.myheritage.com

About Ultima Genomics

Ultima Genomics is unleashing the power of genomics at scale. The company's mission is to continuously drive the scale of genomic information to enable unprecedented advances in biology and improvements in human health. With humanity on the cusp of a biological revolution, there is a virtually endless need for more genomic information to address biology's complexity and dynamic change—and a further need to challenge conventional next-generation sequencing technologies. Ultima's revolutionary new sequencing architecture drives down the costs of sequencing to help overcome the tradeoffs that scientists and clinicians are forced to make between the breadth, depth and frequency with which they use genomic information. The new sequencing architecture was designed to scale far beyond conventional sequencing technologies, lower the cost of genomic information and catalyze the next phase of genomics in the 21st century. www.ultimagenomics.com

About Gene by Gene

Gene by Gene is a world leader in genetic testing services with over 20 years of experience. Its laboratory holds accreditation from multiple agencies, including CAP, CLIA, New York State Department of Health, California Department of Public Health, and AABB. With a cutting-edge laboratory and highly trained team of experts, Gene by Gene is committed to excellence in the field of genetic analysis. www.genebygene.com.

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Disclosure: I receive a complimentary Complete subscription to MyHeritage, and have received other material considerations in past years. I uploaded my autosomal DNA raw data to their DNA product. This does not affect my objective analysis of MyHeritage products. I am a paid subscriber to Family Tree Webinars and love it.

The URL for this post is: 

Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Share it on X, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.  Note that all comments are moderated, so they may not appear immediately.

Subscribe to receive a free daily email from Genea-Musings using www.Blogtrottr.com.