Molecular Biomarkers for Ancient Tuberculosis

Minnikin, David E.; Lee, Oona Y-C.; Wu, Houdini H.T.; Besra, Gurdyal S.; Donoghue, Helen D.

doi:10.5772/30224

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 114 publications

(196 reference statements)

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“…Detection of cell wall components such as mycolic, mycocerosic, and mycolipenic acids [13, 15, 18, 19] with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization tandem time of flight, which presents profiles specific for MTBC, is considered a reliable method to identify ancient causative agents in human archaeological samples. Initial attempts to use mass spectrometry to detect cell wall lipids were shown to yield erroneous results in some cases [15, 29, 30]. In more recent studies, the combination of cell wall lipid analysis with genetic markers showed significant improvement in discriminative ability for ancient mycobacteria [31, 32].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Screening methods for detection of ancient Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex fingerprints in next-generation sequencing data derived from skeletal samples

et al. 2019

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Background Recent advances in ancient DNA studies, especially in increasing isolated DNA yields and quality, have opened the possibility of analysis of ancient host microbiome. However, such pitfalls as spurious identification of pathogens based on fragmentary data or environmental contamination could lead to incorrect epidaemiological conclusions. Within the Mycobacterium genus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex members responsible for tuberculosis share up to ∼99% genomic sequence identity, while other more distantly related Mycobacteria other than M. tuberculosis can be causative agents for pulmonary diseases or soil dwellers. Therefore, reliable determination of species complex is crucial for interpretation of sequencing results. Results Here we present a novel bioinformatical approach, used for screening of ancient tuberculosis in sequencing data, derived from 28 individuals (dated 4400–4000 and 3100–2900 BC) from central Poland. We demonstrate that cost-effective next-generation screening sequencing data (∼20M reads per sample) could yield enough information to provide statistically supported identification of probable ancient disease cases. Conclusions Application of appropriate bioinformatic tools, including an unbiased selection of genomic alignment targets for species specificity, makes it possible to extract valid data from full-sample sequencing results (without subjective targeted enrichment procedures). This approach broadens the potential scope of palaeoepidaemiology both to older, suboptimally preserved samples and to pathogens with difficult intrageneric taxonomy.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Screening methods for detection of ancient Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex fingerprints in next-generation sequencing data derived from skeletal samples

et al. 2019

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Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex Lipid Virulence Factors Preserved in the 17,000-Year-Old Skeleton of an Extinct Bison, Bison antiquus

Lee

Donoghue

et al. 2012

PLoS ONE

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Tracing the evolution of ancient diseases depends on the availability and accessibility of suitable biomarkers in archaeological specimens. DNA is potentially information-rich but it depends on a favourable environment for preservation. In the case of the major mycobacterial pathogens, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae, robust lipid biomarkers are established as alternatives or complements to DNA analyses. A DNA report, a decade ago, suggested that a 17,000-year-old skeleton of extinct Bison antiquus, from Natural Trap Cave, Wyoming, was the oldest known case of tuberculosis. In the current study, key mycobacterial lipid virulence factor biomarkers were detected in the same two samples from this bison. Fluorescence high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) indicated the presence of mycolic acids of the mycobacterial type, but they were degraded and could not be precisely correlated with tuberculosis. However, pristine profiles of C29, C30 and C32 mycocerosates and C27 mycolipenates, typical of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, were recorded by negative ion chemical ionization gas chromatography mass spectrometry of pentafluorobenzyl ester derivatives. These findings were supported by the detection of C34 and C36 phthiocerols, which are usually esterified to the mycocerosates. The existence of Pleistocene tuberculosis in the Americas is confirmed and there are many even older animal bones with well-characterised tuberculous lesions similar to those on the analysed sample. In the absence of any evidence of tuberculosis in human skeletons older than 9,000 years BP, the hypothesis that this disease evolved as a zoonosis, before transfer to humans, is given detailed consideration and discussion.

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Pathophysiological Implications of Cell Envelope Structure in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Related Taxa

Minnikin¹,

Lee²,

Wu³

et al. 2015

Tuberculosis - Expanding Knowledge

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Molecular Biomarkers for Ancient Tuberculosis

Cited by 3 publications

References 114 publications

Screening methods for detection of ancient Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex fingerprints in next-generation sequencing data derived from skeletal samples

Screening methods for detection of ancient Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex fingerprints in next-generation sequencing data derived from skeletal samples

Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex Lipid Virulence Factors Preserved in the 17,000-Year-Old Skeleton of an Extinct Bison, Bison antiquus

Pathophysiological Implications of Cell Envelope Structure in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Related Taxa

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