1
|
Unterberger SH, Berger C, Schirmer M, Pallua AK, Zelger B, Schäfer G, Kremser C, Degenhart G, Spiegl H, Erler S, Putzer D, Arora R, Parson W, Pallua JD. Morphological and Tissue Characterization with 3D Reconstruction of a 350-Year-Old Austrian Ardea purpurea Glacier Mummy. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12010114. [PMID: 36671806 PMCID: PMC9855678 DOI: 10.3390/biology12010114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Glaciers are dwindling archives, releasing animal mummies preserved in the ice for centuries due to climate changes. As preservation varies, residual soft tissues may differently expand the biological information content of such mummies. DNA studies have proven the possibility of extracting and analyzing DNA preserved in skeletal residuals and sediments for hundreds or thousands of years. Paleoradiology is the method of choice as a non-destructive tool for analyzing mummies, including micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Together with radiocarbon dating, histo-anatomical analyses, and DNA sequencing, these techniques were employed to identify a 350-year-old Austrian Ardea purpurea glacier mummy from the Ötztal Alps. Combining these techniques proved to be a robust methodological concept for collecting inaccessible information regarding the structural organization of the mummy. The variety of methodological approaches resulted in a distinct picture of the morphological patterns of the glacier animal mummy. The BLAST search in GenBank resulted in a 100% and 98.7% match in the cytb gene sequence with two entries of the species Purple heron (Ardea purpurea; Accession number KJ941160.1 and KJ190948.1) and a 98% match with the same species for the 16 s sequence (KJ190948.1), which was confirmed by the anatomic characteristics deduced from micro-CT and MRI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seraphin H. Unterberger
- Material-Technology, Leopold-Franzens University Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 13, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Cordula Berger
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstraße 44, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Michael Schirmer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Clinic II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Anton Kasper Pallua
- Former Institute for Computed Tomography-Neuro CT, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Bettina Zelger
- Institute of Pathology, Neuropathology, and Molecular Pathology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstrasse 44, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Georg Schäfer
- Institute of Pathology, Neuropathology, and Molecular Pathology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstrasse 44, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Christian Kremser
- Department of Radiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Gerald Degenhart
- Department of Radiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Harald Spiegl
- WESTCAM Datentechnik GmbH, Gewerbepark 38, 6068 Mils, Austria
| | - Simon Erler
- WESTCAM Datentechnik GmbH, Gewerbepark 38, 6068 Mils, Austria
| | - David Putzer
- University Hospital for Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Rohit Arora
- University Hospital for Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Walther Parson
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstraße 44, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
- Forensic Science Program, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA 16801, USA
| | - Johannes Dominikus Pallua
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstraße 44, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
- Institute of Pathology, Neuropathology, and Molecular Pathology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Muellerstrasse 44, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
- University Hospital for Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|