The experimental degradation of archaeological human bone by anaerobic bacteria and the implications for recovery of ancient DNA
Year: 2008
Type: article
Abstract: DNA recovery from human bone has been key to the developing science and \ntechnology of ancient DNA studies. The recovery of macromolecules from bone \nhowever, does not correlate well with recognisable parameters of preservation and \npredicting DNA recovery rates from ancient bone can be very difficult. The extent of \ndegradation of buried bones often depends on environmental taphonomy and can vary \nfrom virtually none to complete and rapid destruction. Although soil or related \nmicrobes are undoubtedly responsible for the majority of this structural degradation \nover time, exceptionally little is known of the mechanisms or specific bacteria \ninvolved. Fungi were previously thought to be responsible for destructive processes \n(tunnelling) within bone but over the last 30 years the role of bacteria has been \nincreasingly recognised. Our aim was to develop a less complex in vitro model of the \ndestructive effects of microbes on bone which might allow a better understanding of \nthe recovery of mitochondrial or pathogen DNA over time.
Authors: Ron Dixon, Lucy Dawson, Delia Taylor
Language: English
Subfield: Genetics
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W125862905