Archaeogenetics

Archaeogenetics is the study of ancient DNA using various molecular genetic methods and DNA resources. This form of genetic analysis can be applied to human, animal, and plant specimens. Ancient DNA can be extracted from various fossilized specimens including bones, eggshells, and artificially preserved tissues in human and animal specimens. In plants, ancient DNA can be extracted from seeds and tissue. Archaeogenetics provides us with genetic evidence of ancient population group migrations,^[1] domestication events, and plant and animal evolution.^[2] The ancient DNA cross referenced with the DNA of relative modern genetic populations allows researchers to run comparison studies that provide a more complete analysis when ancient DNA is compromised.^[3]

Archaeogenetics receives its name from the Greek word arkhaios, meaning "ancient", and the term genetics, meaning "the study of heredity".^[4] The term archaeogenetics was conceived by archaeologist Colin Renfrew.^[5]

In February 2021, scientists reported the oldest DNA ever sequenced was successfully retrieved from a mammoth dating back over a million years.^[6]^[7]

^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Bouwman, Abigail; Rühli, Frank (2016). "Archaeogenetics in evolutionary medicine". Journal of Molecular Medicine. 94 (9): 971–77. doi:10.1007/s00109-016-1438-8. PMID 27289479. S2CID 10223726.
^ Csákyová, Veronika; Szécsényi-Nagy, Anna; Csősz, Aranka; Nagy, Melinda; Fusek, Gabriel; Langó, Péter; Bauer, Miroslav; Mende, Balázs Gusztáv; Makovický, Pavol (2016-03-10). "Maternal Genetic Composition of a Medieval Population from a Hungarian-Slavic Contact Zone in Central Europe". PLOS ONE. 11 (3): e0151206. Bibcode:2016PLoSO..1151206C. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0151206. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 4786151. PMID 26963389.
^ "Online Etymology Dictionary". www.etymonline.com. Retrieved 2017-08-08.
^ Sokal, Robert R. (July 2001). "Archaeogenetics: DNA and the Population Prehistory of Europe". American Journal of Human Genetics. 69 (1): 243–44. doi:10.1086/321274. ISSN 0002-9297. PMC 1226043.
^ Hunt, Katie (17 February 2021). "World's oldest DNA sequenced from a mammoth that lived more than a million years ago". CNN News. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
^ Callaway, Ewen (17 February 2021). "Million-year-old mammoth genomes shatter record for oldest ancient DNA - Permafrost-preserved teeth, up to 1.6 million years old, identify a new kind of mammoth in Siberia". Nature. 590 (7847): 537–538. Bibcode:2021Natur.590..537C. doi:10.1038/d41586-021-00436-x. PMID 33597786.

[:1-1] Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[2] Bouwman, Abigail; Rühli, Frank (2016). "Archaeogenetics in evolutionary medicine". Journal of Molecular Medicine. 94 (9): 971–77. doi:10.1007/s00109-016-1438-8. PMID 27289479. S2CID 10223726.

[3] Csákyová, Veronika; Szécsényi-Nagy, Anna; Csősz, Aranka; Nagy, Melinda; Fusek, Gabriel; Langó, Péter; Bauer, Miroslav; Mende, Balázs Gusztáv; Makovický, Pavol (2016-03-10). "Maternal Genetic Composition of a Medieval Population from a Hungarian-Slavic Contact Zone in Central Europe". PLOS ONE. 11 (3): e0151206. Bibcode:2016PLoSO..1151206C. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0151206. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 4786151. PMID 26963389.

[4] "Online Etymology Dictionary". www.etymonline.com. Retrieved 2017-08-08.

[5] Sokal, Robert R. (July 2001). "Archaeogenetics: DNA and the Population Prehistory of Europe". American Journal of Human Genetics. 69 (1): 243–44. doi:10.1086/321274. ISSN 0002-9297. PMC 1226043.

[CNN-20210217-6] Hunt, Katie (17 February 2021). "World's oldest DNA sequenced from a mammoth that lived more than a million years ago". CNN News. Retrieved 17 February 2021.

[NAT-20210217-7] Callaway, Ewen (17 February 2021). "Million-year-old mammoth genomes shatter record for oldest ancient DNA - Permafrost-preserved teeth, up to 1.6 million years old, identify a new kind of mammoth in Siberia". Nature. 590 (7847): 537–538. Bibcode:2021Natur.590..537C. doi:10.1038/d41586-021-00436-x. PMID 33597786.

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