VCF to RAW file

This service converts your VCF file into the RAW DNA file format, which can be utilized for third-party analysis (NOT VALID FOR MYHERITAGE, FTDNA or LivingDNA).

VCF (Variant Call Format) is a file format used to store genetic data, including information about an individual’s DNA sequence variants. A RAW DNA FILE is a common file format to store genetic data.

Therefore, converting a VCF file to a RAW DNA file means transforming a file containing genetic data in the VCF format into a file in the format used by third party DNA websites.

A VCF to RAW file is not accepted by MyHeritage, FTDNA, or LivingDNA. These platforms have restrictions on the types of RAW DNA files that users can upload. VCF files do not contain all of your DNA; they only include the variations from the human reference genome. As a result, they lack significant and crucial information from your DNA.

Please note that if you have undergone a whole genome sequencing test (such as those offered by Nebula Genomics, Dante Labs, or YSEQ) and have a BAM or CRAM file, you should refer to our WGS to RAW file service to obtain your RAW files, haplogroups, and additional information valid for any third party platform including MyHeritage, FTDNA and LivingDNA.

The VCF to RAW file service is intended for use by individuals who need to convert this file for other purposes than uploading to MyHeritage, FTDNA or LivingDNA.

What are VCF files and why doesn’t contain all your genetic data that the ancestry analysis requires?

VCF files only contain information about SNPs that are different from a reference genome. The reference genome is like a really long book that has a lot of information about the genes that most people have. It’s like a kind of average or standard set of genes that scientists use to compare other genomes to.

When a VCF file is made, it compares a person’s genome to the reference genome. If a person’s genome has a gene that is different from the reference genome, that difference is called a SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism). The VCF file will only include information about the SNPs that are different from the reference genome, because these are the genes that are unique to that person.

For example, let’s say that the reference genome has the word “cat” in a certain place, and a person’s genome also has the word “cat” in that same place. In this case, there is no SNP, because both genomes have the same word. But if the person’s genome has the word “dog” instead of “cat,” then there is a SNP, because the genomes are different in that place. The VCF file would include information about this SNP, because it’s something that is unique to the person’s genome.

Scientists use VCF files to study how genes differ from person to person and how these differences might affect people’s health or traits. By only including SNPs that are different from the reference genome, VCF files help scientists focus on the genes that are most interesting and useful for their research.