Evolutionary biologists are increasingly relying on ancient DNA from archaeological animal bones to study processes such as domestication and population dispersals. As many animal bones found on archaeological sites are likely to have been cooked, the potential for DNA preservation must be carefully considered to maximise the chance of amplification success. Here, we assess the preservation of mitochondrial DNA in a medieval cattle bone assemblage from Coppergate, York, UK. These bones have variable degrees of thermal alterations to bone collagen fibrils, indicative of cooking. Our results show that DNA preservation is not reliant on the presence of intact collagen fibrils. In fact, a greater number of template molecules could be extracted from bones with damaged collagen. We conclude that moderate heating of bone may enhance the retention of DNA fragments. Our results also indicate that ancient DNA preservation is highly variable, even within a relatively recent assemblage from contexts conducive to organic preservation, and that diagenetic parameters based on protein diagenesis are not always useful for predicting ancient DNA survival.

Ottoni, C., Koon, H., Collins, M., Penkman, K., Rickards, O., Craig, O. (2009). Preservation of ancient DNA in thermally damaged archaeological bone. NATURWISSENSCHAFTEN, 96(2), 267-278 [10.1007/s00114-008-0478-5].

Preservation of ancient DNA in thermally damaged archaeological bone

Ottoni, C;RICKARDS, OLGA;
2009-01-01

Abstract

Evolutionary biologists are increasingly relying on ancient DNA from archaeological animal bones to study processes such as domestication and population dispersals. As many animal bones found on archaeological sites are likely to have been cooked, the potential for DNA preservation must be carefully considered to maximise the chance of amplification success. Here, we assess the preservation of mitochondrial DNA in a medieval cattle bone assemblage from Coppergate, York, UK. These bones have variable degrees of thermal alterations to bone collagen fibrils, indicative of cooking. Our results show that DNA preservation is not reliant on the presence of intact collagen fibrils. In fact, a greater number of template molecules could be extracted from bones with damaged collagen. We conclude that moderate heating of bone may enhance the retention of DNA fragments. Our results also indicate that ancient DNA preservation is highly variable, even within a relatively recent assemblage from contexts conducive to organic preservation, and that diagenetic parameters based on protein diagenesis are not always useful for predicting ancient DNA survival.
2009
Pubblicato
Rilevanza internazionale
Articolo
Sì, ma tipo non specificato
Settore BIO/08 - ANTROPOLOGIA
Settore BIO/18 - GENETICA
English
Con Impact Factor ISI
ancient DNA; bone diagenesis; collagen; cooking
Ottoni, C., Koon, H., Collins, M., Penkman, K., Rickards, O., Craig, O. (2009). Preservation of ancient DNA in thermally damaged archaeological bone. NATURWISSENSCHAFTEN, 96(2), 267-278 [10.1007/s00114-008-0478-5].
Ottoni, C; Koon, H; Collins, M; Penkman, K; Rickards, O; Craig, O
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2108/8265
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