Ancient DNA: Still Busy After Death

DNA from Arctic Human Burials

“…The latter work has been taken to the sequencing level and 350 bp of mtDNA sequence has been obtained. It differs at four or five positions from the Indian elephant sequence, and by a similar amount from the Alrican elephant, confirming the three-way split (Cherfas 1991).…”

Molecular resurrection of an extinct ancestralpromoter for mouse L1.

“…It has been previously suggested that DNA sequences from preserved samples of an extinct species could be used as the basis for reintroduction of extinct genetic material into living cells (17,18). Here we have used a different experimental approach to reverse evolution, in which the extinct sequence resurrected, the Li F monomer, was deduced from modem sequences.…”

Ancient DNA and the archaeologist

“…Despite these problems, these two studies are the most convincing demonstrations so far of the potential of ancient DNA in human archaeology. Recent work with the Windover remains, comprising 91 brains and 1 7 7 skeletons buried 6000-8000 years ago, are particularly promising, with the researchers drawing the bold conclusion that individuals buried 1000 years apart are probably related to each other (unpublished results of W. Hauswirth quoted in Cherfas 1991). The initial demonstration of ancient DNA in archaeological human bone (Hagelberg et al 1989) has been followed by similar reports (Horai et a].…”

“…The situation has changed gradually over the last year or so but few groups have yet published their results. In this overview of the current status of ancient DNA in archaeology we describe the published material, but also place some reliance on unpublished observations presented at a recent conference on Ancient DNA (for conference reports see Cherfas 1991;Sykes 1991). This enables us to provide a forward-looking review, though the reader should appreciate that not all of the data have been scrutinized by journal referees.…”