The search result changed since you submitted your search request. Documents might be displayed in a different sort order.
  • search hit 4 of 29
Back to Result List

Paging through history: parchment as a reservoir of ancient DNA for next generation sequencing

  • Parchment represents an invaluable cultural reservoir. Retrieving an additional layer of information from these abundant, dated livestock-skins via the use of ancient DNA (aDNA) sequencing has been mooted by a number of researchers. However, prior PCR-based work has indicated that this may be challenged by cross-individual and cross-species contamination, perhaps from the bulk parchment preparation process. Here we apply next generation sequencing to two parchments of seventeenth and eighteenth century northern English provenance. Following alignment to the published sheep, goat, cow and human genomes, it is clear that the only genome displaying substantial unique homology is sheep and this species identification is confirmed by collagen peptide mass spectrometry. Only 4% of sequence reads align preferentially to a different species indicating low contamination across species. Moreover, mitochondrial DNA sequences suggest an upper bound of contamination at 5%. Over 45% of reads aligned to the sheep genome, and even this limitedParchment represents an invaluable cultural reservoir. Retrieving an additional layer of information from these abundant, dated livestock-skins via the use of ancient DNA (aDNA) sequencing has been mooted by a number of researchers. However, prior PCR-based work has indicated that this may be challenged by cross-individual and cross-species contamination, perhaps from the bulk parchment preparation process. Here we apply next generation sequencing to two parchments of seventeenth and eighteenth century northern English provenance. Following alignment to the published sheep, goat, cow and human genomes, it is clear that the only genome displaying substantial unique homology is sheep and this species identification is confirmed by collagen peptide mass spectrometry. Only 4% of sequence reads align preferentially to a different species indicating low contamination across species. Moreover, mitochondrial DNA sequences suggest an upper bound of contamination at 5%. Over 45% of reads aligned to the sheep genome, and even this limited sequencing exercise yield 9 and 7% of each sampled sheep genome post filtering, allowing the mapping of genetic affinity to modern British sheep breeds. We conclude that parchment represents an excellent substrate for genomic analyses of historical livestock.show moreshow less

Export metadata

Additional Services

Search Google Scholar Statistics
Metadaten
Author details:Matthew David Teasdale, N. L. van Doorn, S. Fiddyment, C. C. Webb, Michael HofreiterORCiDGND, Matthew J. CollinsORCiD, Daniel G. BradleyORCiD
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2013.0379
ISSN:0962-8436
ISSN:1471-2970
Pubmed ID:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25487331
Title of parent work (English):Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London : B, Biological sciences
Publisher:Royal Society
Place of publishing:London
Publication type:Article
Language:English
Year of first publication:2015
Publication year:2015
Release date:2017/03/27
Tag:ZooMS; ancient DNA; next generation sequencing; parchment; sheep
Volume:370
Issue:1660
Number of pages:7
Funding institution:ERC [295729-CodeX]; EU Marie Curie Fellowship Palimpsest; EU Marie Curie ETN LeCHE Fellowship
Organizational units:Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Biochemie und Biologie
Peer review:Referiert
Accept ✔
This website uses technically necessary session cookies. By continuing to use the website, you agree to this. You can find our privacy policy here.