EAA2021: Abstract
Abstract is part of session #468:
Title & Content
Title:
Survival of aDNA in tooth and bone samples from Iron Age (7th – 12th centuries AD) burials in Latvia
Content:
Ancient DNA (aDNA) studies offer new possibilities for the in-depth investigation of ancient social structures at local and regional scales. Human aDNA studies have helped to decode the human history on the Eurasian continent. Present-day Latvia is situated in north-eastern Europe with a coastline along the Baltic Sea. During the Iron Age the local inhabitants began to form distinct ethnic and regional identities. The productive farms continued to develop, and crafts and trade became increasingly important. Studies of historical genomes and metagenomes may help to explore many different perspectives, in particular kinship, female/male mobility, funeral ritual practice, and life experiences. However, endogenous DNA preservation in human skeletons is crucial for aDNA studies.
Here, we examined DNA preservation within tooth and bone samples from two Iron Age cemeteries in Latvia: Lejasbiteni (Vidzeme region), and Cunkani–Drengeri (Zemgale region) (7th – 11th centuries AD). The DNA extraction was performed according to a modified version of the protocol of Keyser-Tracqui and Ludes, 2005. Metagenomics shotgun libraries were sequenced using Illumina technologies. Raw-read sequencing data were processed using the EAGER pipeline for aDNA sequencing data. For microbial DNA analysis, read files were analyzed using MALT 0.5.0. The results indicated that human DNA proportion in bone samples was less than 10%. Higher proportion of human DNA was recovered from the petrous pyramid and well-preserved tooth samples, while mitochondrial DNA yields varied greatly between individual specimens. The presence of oral microbiome signature was detected in archaeological tooth samples indicating the preservation of ancient microbial DNA. Overall, we were able to access the endogenous aDNA in archaeological tooth and bone samples. The availability of aDNA data will be highly useful for investigation of the demographic history and social structures in Iron Age Latvia.
Acknowledgements. This study was supported by the Latvian Council of Science project No lzp-2018/1-0395.
Here, we examined DNA preservation within tooth and bone samples from two Iron Age cemeteries in Latvia: Lejasbiteni (Vidzeme region), and Cunkani–Drengeri (Zemgale region) (7th – 11th centuries AD). The DNA extraction was performed according to a modified version of the protocol of Keyser-Tracqui and Ludes, 2005. Metagenomics shotgun libraries were sequenced using Illumina technologies. Raw-read sequencing data were processed using the EAGER pipeline for aDNA sequencing data. For microbial DNA analysis, read files were analyzed using MALT 0.5.0. The results indicated that human DNA proportion in bone samples was less than 10%. Higher proportion of human DNA was recovered from the petrous pyramid and well-preserved tooth samples, while mitochondrial DNA yields varied greatly between individual specimens. The presence of oral microbiome signature was detected in archaeological tooth samples indicating the preservation of ancient microbial DNA. Overall, we were able to access the endogenous aDNA in archaeological tooth and bone samples. The availability of aDNA data will be highly useful for investigation of the demographic history and social structures in Iron Age Latvia.
Acknowledgements. This study was supported by the Latvian Council of Science project No lzp-2018/1-0395.
Keywords:
aDNA, Iron Age, Latvia
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authors
Main authors:
Renate Ranka1
Co-author:
Jānis Ķimsis1
Alise Pokšāne1
Elīna Pētersone-Gordina2
Antonija Vilcāne2
Alisa Kazarina1
Guntis Gerhards2
Alise Pokšāne1
Elīna Pētersone-Gordina2
Antonija Vilcāne2
Alisa Kazarina1
Guntis Gerhards2
Affiliations:
1 Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre
2 Institute of Latvian History, University of Latvia
2 Institute of Latvian History, University of Latvia