Recovery and analysis of human genetic material from mummified tissue and bone

Molecular markers for the discrimination of Triticum turgidum L. subsp. dicoccum (Schrank ex Schübl.) Thell. and Triticum timopheevii (Zhuk.) Zhuk. subsp. timopheevii

“…The astonishing declarations purporting DNA extraction from very old remains, such as from a Cretaceous dinosaur (Zischler et al, 1995), were subsequently proved wrong, as the putative DNA was the result of modern DNA contamination during the recovery of the remains and their analysis (Pääbo and Wilson, 1991;Wang et al, 1997;Young et al, 1995;Younsten and Rippere, 1997). Several reports nevertheless confirmed the retrieval, in special cases, of aDNA (Hagelberg and Clegg, 1991;Hanni et al, 1990;Horai et al, 1989Horai et al, , 1991Pääbo, 1984Pääbo, , 1985Rollo et al, 1988;Thuesen and Engberg, 1990). In almost all the cases, the specimens were preserved in optimal (dry and cool) conditions: even more remarkable, therefore, was DNA recovery from charred samples of 2000e2500-year-old wheat (Allaby et al, 1994) and 600-year-old maize (Goloubinoff et al, 1993).…”

Ancient DNA and the archaeologist

“…1989;Hanni et a]. 1990;Thuesen & Engberg 1990;Hummel & Herrmann 1991), and more comprehensive studies have been published by the original group (Hagelberg & Clegg 1991;Hagelberg et al 1991a). So far the oldest human bones to yield DNA have been from about 9000 BC (our unpublished observations), but most of the work has been with much younger samples, many less than 350 years old.…”

“…Its presence in dried tissues is wellestablished and studies with mummified remains are reaching an advanced stage with evidence for ancient DNA in a number of natural and prepared mummies up to 5000 years old, including specimens originally from Egypt, Peru and Greenland (Paabo 1984;1985a;1985b;1989;Del Pozzo & Guardiola 1989;Thuesen & Engberg 1990). Nucleotide sequences have been obtained from the mummified skin of a 1-year-old Egyptian boy (2430f120 BP; Paabo 1985a) and liver tissue of Nekht-ankh, an Egyptian priest of the 12th Dynasty now on display in the Manchester Museum .…”

Us and them: archaeology and ethnicity in the Andes

“…DNA has been found to preserve under a wide range of conditions, from frozen mummies in Greenland (Nielsen, Engberg, and Thuesen 1994;Thuesen and Engberg 1990) to brain tissue preserved in Florida Springs (Doran et al 1986;Hauswirth 1994;Hauswirth et al 1994;Lawlor et al 1991) to naturally and artificially mummified remains from the dry deserts of western South America and Egypt (Merriwether, Rothhammer, and Ferrell 1994;Pääbo 1985aPääbo , 1985bP. K. Rogan andSalvo 1990, 1994;Williams, Beck, and Longmire 1990).…”