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Childebayeva A, Zavala EI. Review: Computational analysis of human skeletal remains in ancient DNA and forensic genetics. iScience 2023; 26:108066. [PMID: 37927550 PMCID: PMC10622734 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Degraded DNA is used to answer questions in the fields of ancient DNA (aDNA) and forensic genetics. While aDNA studies typically center around human evolution and past history, and forensic genetics is often more concerned with identifying a specific individual, scientists in both fields face similar challenges. The overlap in source material has prompted periodic discussions and studies on the advantages of collaboration between fields toward mutually beneficial methodological advancements. However, most have been centered around wet laboratory methods (sampling, DNA extraction, library preparation, etc.). In this review, we focus on the computational side of the analytical workflow. We discuss limitations and considerations to consider when working with degraded DNA. We hope this review provides a framework to researchers new to computational workflows for how to think about analyzing highly degraded DNA and prompts an increase of collaboration between the forensic genetics and aDNA fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ainash Childebayeva
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Anthropology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Elena I. Zavala
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
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2
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Scaramanga J, Reiss MJ. Evolutionary stasis: creationism, evolution and climate change in the Accelerated Christian Education curriculum. CULTURAL STUDIES OF SCIENCE EDUCATION 2023; 18:1-19. [PMID: 37360053 PMCID: PMC10191816 DOI: 10.1007/s11422-023-10187-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
There has been little consideration in the science education literature of schools or curricula that advocate creationism. Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) is among the world's largest providers of creationist science materials with a curriculum divided into a system of workbooks which students complete at their own speed. This article examines the ways in which ACE presents particular areas of science that it considers to be contentious, namely evolution and climate change. The ACE curriculum has recently been rewritten, and we show that, like previous editions, the current curriculum relies on rote memorisation to the exclusion of other styles of learning, and that information presented is often misleading or distorted. Religious explanations of natural phenomena are sometimes given in place of scientific ones, and creationist assumptions are inserted into lessons not directly related to evolution or the Big Bang. Those who reject creationism are depicted as making an immoral choice. ACE's recent curricula also add material denying the role of humans in climate change. It is argued that both the teaching methods and content of the ACE curriculum place students at an educational disadvantage.
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Natkaniec-Nowak L, Drzewicz P, Stach P, Mroczkowska-Szerszeń M, Żukowska G. The overview of analytical methods for studying of fossil natural resins. Crit Rev Anal Chem 2023:1-23. [PMID: 37083454 DOI: 10.1080/10408347.2023.2200855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
The review presents methods that are used frequently for multi-analytical study of fossil resins. The preliminary characterization relies on physical methods such as microhardness, density and fluorescence in UV light measurements. The spectroscopic methods: infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy are also presented in the paper. Besides that, the review also contains examples of the application of chromatographic methods: gas chromatography, thin layer chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry as well as sample preparation methods for chromatographic studies such as pyrolysis. Additionally, thermal methods such as thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry also are covered by the review. Beside the examples of application, a detailed description with development history and perspective for further improvement are presented for each method. Moreover, fit-for-purpose assessment of each method is illustrated based on many examples from literature. The paper also contains examples of the application of multivariate statistical analysis and chemometric methods for comparing multiple properties of different fossil resin specimens for differentiation and classification purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucyna Natkaniec-Nowak
- Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection, AGH University of Science and Technology, Krakow, Poland
| | | | - Pawel Stach
- Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection, AGH University of Science and Technology, Krakow, Poland
| | | | - Grażyna Żukowska
- Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland
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4
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Rinkert A, Misiewicz TM, Carter BE, Salmaan A, Whittall JB. Bird nests as botanical time capsules: DNA barcoding identifies the contents of contemporary and historical nests. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0257624. [PMID: 34614003 PMCID: PMC8494352 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bird nests in natural history collections are an abundant yet vastly underutilized source of genetic information. We sequenced the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer to identify plant species used as nest material in two contemporary (2003 and 2018) and two historical (both 1915) nest specimens constructed by Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) and Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis). A total of 13 (22%) samples yielded single, strong bands that could be identified using GenBank resources: six plants (Angiospermae), six green algae (Chlorophyta), and one ciliate (Ciliophora). Two native plant species identified in the nests included Festuca microstachys, which was introduced to the nest collection site by restoration practitioners, and Rosa californica, identified in a nest collected from a lost habitat that existed about 100 years ago. Successful sequencing was correlated with higher sample mass and DNA quality, suggesting future studies should select larger pieces of contiguous material from nests and materials that appear to have been fresh when incorporated into the nest. This molecular approach was used to distinguish plant species that were not visually identifiable, and did not require disassembling the nest specimens as is a traditional practice with nest material studies. The many thousands of nest specimens in natural history collections hold great promise as sources of genetic information to address myriad ecological questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Rinkert
- Department of Biological Sciences, San José State University, San José, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Tracy M. Misiewicz
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States of America
| | - Benjamin E. Carter
- Department of Biological Sciences, San José State University, San José, CA, United States of America
| | - Aleezah Salmaan
- Department of Biology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, United States of America
| | - Justen B. Whittall
- Department of Biology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, United States of America
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5
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Howell L, LaRue M, Flanagan SP. Environmental DNA as a tool for monitoring Antarctic vertebrates. NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/03014223.2021.1900299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Howell
- Gateway Antarctica, School of Earth and Environment, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Michelle LaRue
- Gateway Antarctica, School of Earth and Environment, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Sarah P. Flanagan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
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García-Rodríguez F, Piccini C, Carrizo D, Sánchez-García L, Pérez L, Crisci C, Oaquim ABJ, Evangelista H, Soutullo A, Azcune G, Lüning S. Centennial glacier retreat increases sedimentation and eutrophication in Subantarctic periglacial lakes: A study case of Lake Uruguay. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 754:142066. [PMID: 33254911 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
High resolution XRF scanning documented inter-annual paleolimnological changes of a Subantarctic periglacial lake, during a process of centennial glacier retreat in King George Island, Antarctica. Two major paleoenvironmental stages were inferred from the combined analysis of elemental, molecular and isotopic biomarkers, with a boundary or transition set at about 3200 yr BP. The first stage was characterized by a relatively low allochthonous organic content, reduced productivity and nitrogen levels. Such paleoenvironmental conditions are interpreted as a terrestrial system under periglacial influence, where material influx was related to erosion process from the melt water discharge, because of the proximity to the Collins Glacier ice cap. After the major Holocene glacier advance dated at about 3500 yr BP, the ice cap retreat led to the formation of Lake Uruguay, which involved in filling processes leading to moraine deposits, proglacial meltwater channels, and lakes next to the land glacier. During the second stage, with the onset of the Current Warm Period, prior to 1900 CE the stabilization of the Zr/Rb ratio within the laminated sediments documented the origin of the lacustrine sedimentation system, with subsequent increases in the sedimentation rate and biomass content (total nitrogen and organic carbon). Time series analyses revealed that the lake displayed variability cycles related to El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), as reflected by high resolution sedimentological proxies for grain size, weathering, allochthonous inputs from the watershed, increase of biomass and productivity, and changes in redox conditions, all of which displayed similar oscillation cycles from 2 to 6 yr. During this periglacial recession and associated eutrophication process, we detected a striking loss in both bacterial specific richness and diversity as inferred from preliminary selected ancient DNA analyses. Thus, the Antarctic warming scenario leading to glacier depletion appears to exert deterioration consequences on the Subantarctic microbial web.
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Affiliation(s)
- F García-Rodríguez
- Universidad de la República, Centro Universitario Regional Este, CURE Rocha y Maldonado, Uruguay; Universidade Federal de Rio Grande, Instituto de Oceanografia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Oceanología, Rio Grande, Brazil.
| | - C Piccini
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Departamento de Microbiología, Av. Italia 3318, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay
| | - D Carrizo
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - L Pérez
- Universidad de la República, Centro Universitario Regional Este, CURE Rocha y Maldonado, Uruguay
| | - C Crisci
- Universidad de la República, Centro Universitario Regional Este, CURE Rocha y Maldonado, Uruguay
| | - A B J Oaquim
- LARAMG/Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro - UERJ, Departamento de Biofísica, Maracanã 0550900, RJ, Brazil
| | - H Evangelista
- LARAMG/Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro - UERJ, Departamento de Biofísica, Maracanã 0550900, RJ, Brazil
| | - A Soutullo
- Universidad de la República, Centro Universitario Regional Este, CURE Rocha y Maldonado, Uruguay; Instituto Antártico Uruguayo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - G Azcune
- Universidad de la República, Centro Universitario Regional Este, CURE Rocha y Maldonado, Uruguay
| | - S Lüning
- Institute for Hydrography, Geoecology and Climate Sciences, Hauptstraße 47, 6315 Ägeri, Switzerland
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Sepulveda AJ, Hutchins PR, Forstchen M, Mckeefry MN, Swigris AM. The Elephant in the Lab (and Field): Contamination in Aquatic Environmental DNA Studies. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.609973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid evolution of environmental (e)DNA methods has resulted in knowledge gaps in smaller, yet critical details like proper use of negative controls to detect contamination. Detecting contamination is vital for confident use of eDNA results in decision-making. We conducted two literature reviews to summarize (a) the types of quality assurance measures taken to detect contamination of eDNA samples from aquatic environments, (b) the occurrence, frequency and attribution (i.e., putative sources) of unexpected amplification in these quality assurance samples, and (c) how results were interpreted when contamination occurred. In the first literature review, we reviewed 156 papers and found that 91% of targeted and 73% of metabarcoding eDNA studies reported inclusion of negative controls within their workflows. However, a large percentage of targeted (49%) and metabarcoding (80%) studies only reported negative controls for laboratory procedures, so results were potentially blind to field contamination. Many of the 156 studies did not provide critical methodological information and amplification results of negative controls. In our second literature review, we reviewed 695 papers and found that 30 targeted and 32 metabarcoding eDNA studies reported amplification of negative controls. This amplification occurred at similar proportions for field and lab workflow steps in targeted and metabarcoding studies. These studies most frequently used amplified negative controls to delimit a detection threshold above which is considered significant or provided rationale for why the unexpected amplifications did not affect results. In summary, we found that there has been minimal convergence over time on negative control implementation, methods, and interpretation, which suggests that increased rigor in these smaller, yet critical details remains an outstanding need. We conclude our review by highlighting several studies that have developed especially effective quality assurance, control and mitigation methods.
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Peris D, Janssen K, Barthel HJ, Bierbaum G, Delclòs X, Peñalver E, Solórzano-Kraemer MM, Jordal BH, Rust J. DNA from resin-embedded organisms: Past, present and future. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0239521. [PMID: 32986737 PMCID: PMC7521698 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Past claims have been made for fossil DNA recovery from various organisms (bacteria, plants, insects and mammals, including humans) dating back in time from thousands to several million years BP. However, many of these recoveries, especially those described from million-year-old amber (fossil resin), have faced criticism as being the result of modern environmental contamination and for lack of reproducibility. Using modern genomic techniques, DNA can be obtained with confidence from a variety of substrates (e.g. bones, teeth, gum, museum specimens and fossil insects) of different ages, albeit always less than one million years BP, and results can also be obtained from much older materials using palaeoproteomics. Nevertheless, new attempts to determine if ancient DNA (aDNA) is present in insects preserved in 40 000-year old sub-fossilised resin, the precursor of amber, have been unsuccessful or not well documented. Resin-embedded specimens are therefore regarded as unsuitable for genetic studies. However, we demonstrate here, for the first time, that although a labile molecule, DNA is still present in platypodine beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) embedded in six-year-old and two-year-old resin pieces from Hymenaea verrucosa (Angiospermae: Fabaceae) collected in Madagascar. We describe an optimised method which meets all the requirements and precautions for aDNA experiments for our purpose: to explore the DNA preservation limits in resin. Our objective is far from starting an uncontrolled search for aDNA in amber as it was in the past, but to start resolving basic aspects from the DNA preservation in resin and search from the most modern samples to the ancient ones, step by step. We conclude that it is therefore possible to study genomics from resin-embedded organisms, although the time limits remain to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Peris
- Section Paleontology, Institute of Geosciences, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Kathrin Janssen
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - H. Jonas Barthel
- Section Paleontology, Institute of Geosciences, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Gabriele Bierbaum
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Xavier Delclòs
- Department of Earth and Ocean Dynamics and Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio), Faculty of Earth Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Enrique Peñalver
- Geological and Mining Institute of Spain (Geominero Museum), Valencia, Spain
| | - Mónica M. Solórzano-Kraemer
- Department of Palaeontology and Historical Geology, Senckenberg Research Institute, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Bjarte H. Jordal
- Museum of Natural History, University Museum of Bergen, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jes Rust
- Section Paleontology, Institute of Geosciences, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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10
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Onstott T, Ehlmann B, Sapers H, Coleman M, Ivarsson M, Marlow J, Neubeck A, Niles P. Paleo-Rock-Hosted Life on Earth and the Search on Mars: A Review and Strategy for Exploration. ASTROBIOLOGY 2019; 19:1230-1262. [PMID: 31237436 PMCID: PMC6786346 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Here we review published studies on the abundance and diversity of terrestrial rock-hosted life, the environments it inhabits, the evolution of its metabolisms, and its fossil biomarkers to provide guidance in the search for life on Mars. Key findings are (1) much terrestrial deep subsurface metabolic activity relies on abiotic energy-yielding fluxes and in situ abiotic and biotic recycling of metabolic waste products rather than on buried organic products of photosynthesis; (2) subsurface microbial cell concentrations are highest at interfaces with pronounced chemical redox gradients or permeability variations and do not correlate with bulk host rock organic carbon; (3) metabolic pathways for chemolithoautotrophic microorganisms evolved earlier in Earth's history than those of surface-dwelling phototrophic microorganisms; (4) the emergence of the former occurred at a time when Mars was habitable, whereas the emergence of the latter occurred at a time when the martian surface was not continually habitable; (5) the terrestrial rock record has biomarkers of subsurface life at least back hundreds of millions of years and likely to 3.45 Ga with several examples of excellent preservation in rock types that are quite different from those preserving the photosphere-supported biosphere. These findings suggest that rock-hosted life would have been more likely to emerge and be preserved in a martian context. Consequently, we outline a Mars exploration strategy that targets subsurface life and scales spatially, focusing initially on identifying rocks with evidence for groundwater flow and low-temperature mineralization, then identifying redox and permeability interfaces preserved within rock outcrops, and finally focusing on finding minerals associated with redox reactions and associated traces of carbon and diagnostic chemical and isotopic biosignatures. Using this strategy on Earth yields ancient rock-hosted life, preserved in the fossil record and confirmable via a suite of morphologic, organic, mineralogical, and isotopic fingerprints at micrometer scale. We expect an emphasis on rock-hosted life and this scale-dependent strategy to be crucial in the search for life on Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- T.C. Onstott
- Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
- Address correspondence to: T.C. Onstott, Department of Geosciences, Princeton University,, Princeton, NJ 008544
| | - B.L. Ehlmann
- Division of Geological & Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
- B.L. Ehlmann, Division of Geological & Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125
| | - H. Sapers
- Division of Geological & Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - M. Coleman
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
- NASA Astrobiology Institute, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - M. Ivarsson
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - J.J. Marlow
- Department of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - A. Neubeck
- Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - P. Niles
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, USA
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Liang R, Lau MCY, Baars O, Robb FT, Onstott TC. Aspartic acid racemization constrains long-term viability and longevity of endospores. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2019; 95:5553460. [DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiz132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Certain microorganisms survive long periods of time as endospores to cope with adverse conditions. Since endospores are metabolically inactive, the extent of aspartic acid (Asp) racemization will increase over time and might kill the spores by preventing their germination. Therefore, understanding the relationship between endospore survivability and Asp racemization is important for constraining the long-term survivability and global dispersion of spore-forming bacteria in nature. Geobacillus stearothermophilus was selected as a model organism to investigate racemization kinetics and survivability of its endospores at 65°C, 75°C and 98°C. This study found that the Asp racemization rates of spores and autoclaved spores were similar at all temperatures. The Asp racemization rate of spores was not significantly different from that of vegetative cells at 65°C. The Asp racemization rate of G. stearothermophilus spores was not significantly different from that of Bacillus subtilis spores at 98°C. The viability of spores and vegetative cells decreased dramatically over time, and the mortality of spores correlated exponentially with the degree of racemization (R2 = 0.9). This latter correlation predicts spore half-lives on the order of hundreds of years for temperatures typical of shallow marine sediments, a result consistent with studies about the survivability of thermophilic spores found in these environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renxing Liang
- Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Maggie C Y Lau
- Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Oliver Baars
- Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Frank T Robb
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, 21202, USA
| | - Tullis C Onstott
- Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
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Abstract
Entering into the world of ancient DNA research is nontrivial. Because the DNA in most ancient specimens is degraded to some extent, the potential is high for contamination of ancient samples, ancient DNA extracts, and genomic sequencing libraries prepared from these extracts with non-degraded DNA from the present-day environment. To minimize the risk of contamination in ancient DNA environments, experimental protocols specific to handling ancient specimens, including those that outline the design and layout of laboratory space, have been introduced. Here, we outline challenges associated with working with ancient samples, including providing guidelines for setting up a new ancient DNA laboratory. We also discuss steps that can be taken at the sample collection and preparation stage to minimize the potential for contamination of ancient DNA experiments with exogenous sources of DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara L Fulton
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Beth Shapiro
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
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Sand KK, Jelavić S. Mineral Facilitated Horizontal Gene Transfer: A New Principle for Evolution of Life? Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2217. [PMID: 30319562 PMCID: PMC6167411 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
A number of studies have highlighted that adsorption to minerals increases DNA longevity in the environment. Such DNA-mineral associations can essentially serve as pools of genes that can be stored across time. Importantly, this DNA is available for incorporation into alien organisms through the process of horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Here we argue that minerals hold an unrecognized potential for successfully transferring genetic material across environments and timescales to distant organisms and hypothesize that this process has significantly influenced the evolution of life. Our hypothesis is illustrated in the context of the evolution of early microbial life and the oxygenation of the Earth's atmosphere and offers an explanation for observed outbursts of evolutionary events caused by HGT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina Krarup Sand
- Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, United Kingdom
- Nano-Science Center, Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Stanislav Jelavić
- Nano-Science Center, Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Stress-Induced, Highly Efficient, Donor Cell-Dependent Cell-to-Cell Natural Transformation in Bacillus subtilis. J Bacteriol 2018; 200:JB.00267-18. [PMID: 29941421 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00267-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a driving force for bacterial evolution that occurs via conjugation, transduction, and transformation. Whereas conjugation and transduction depend on nonbacterial vehicles, transformation is considered a naturally occurring process in which naked DNA molecules are taken up by a competent recipient cell. Here, we report that HGT occurred between two Bacillus subtilis strains cocultured on a minimum medium agar plate for 10 h. This process was almost completely resistant to DNase treatment and appeared to require close proximity between cells. The deletion of comK in the recipient completely abolished gene transfer, indicating that the process involved transformation. This process was also highly efficient, reaching 1.75 × 106 transformants/μg DNA compared to 5.3 × 103 and 1.86 × 105 transformants/μg DNA for DNA-to-cell transformation by the same agar method and the standard two-step procedure, respectively. Interestingly, when three distantly localized chromosomal markers were selected simultaneously, the efficiency of cell-to-cell transformation still reached 6.26 × 104 transformants/μg DNA, whereas no transformants were obtained when free DNA was used as the donor. Stresses, such as starvation and exposure to antibiotics, further enhanced transformation efficiency by affecting the donor cells, suggesting that stress served as an important signal for promoting this type of HGT. Taken together, our results defined a bona fide process of cell-to-cell natural transformation (CTCNT) in B. subtilis and related species. This finding reveals the previously unrecognized role of donor cells in bacterial natural transformation and improves our understanding of how HGT drives bacterial evolution at a mechanistic level.IMPORTANCE Because DNA is easily prepared, studies of bacterial natural genetic transformation traditionally focus on recipient cells. However, such laboratory artifacts cannot explain how this process occurs in nature. In most cases, competence is only transient and involves approximately 20 to 50 genes, and it is unreasonable for bacteria to spend so many genetic resources on unpredictable and uncertain environmental DNA. Here, we characterized a donor cell-dependent CTCNT process in B. subtilis and related species that was almost completely resistant to DNase treatment and was more efficient than classical natural transformation using naked DNA as a donor, i.e., DNA-to-cell transformation, suggesting that DNA donor cells were also important in the transformation process in natural environments.
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15
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Zhong ZP, Solonenko NE, Gazitúa MC, Kenny DV, Mosley-Thompson E, Rich VI, Van Etten JL, Thompson LG, Sullivan MB. Clean Low-Biomass Procedures and Their Application to Ancient Ice Core Microorganisms. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1094. [PMID: 29910780 PMCID: PMC5992382 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms in glacier ice provide tens to hundreds of thousands of years archive for a changing climate and microbial responses to it. Analyzing ancient ice is impeded by technical issues, including limited ice, low biomass, and contamination. While many approaches have been evaluated and advanced to remove contaminants on ice core surfaces, few studies leverage modern sequencing to establish in silico decontamination protocols for glacier ice. Here we sought to apply such “clean” sampling techniques with in silico decontamination approaches used elsewhere to investigate microorganisms archived in ice at ∼41 (D41, ∼20,000 years) and ∼49 m (D49, ∼30,000 years) depth in an ice core (GS3) from the summit of the Guliya ice cap in the northwestern Tibetan Plateau. Four “background” controls were established – a co-processed sterile water artificial ice core, two air samples collected from the ice processing laboratories, and a blank, sterile water sample – and used to assess contaminant microbial diversity and abundances. Amplicon sequencing revealed 29 microbial genera in these controls, but quantitative PCR showed that the controls contained about 50–100-times less 16S DNA than the glacial ice samples. As in prior work, we interpreted these low-abundance taxa in controls as “contaminants” and proportionally removed them in silico from the GS3 ice amplicon data. Because of the low biomass in the controls, we also compared prokaryotic 16S DNA amplicons from pre-amplified (by re-conditioning PCR) and standard amplicon sequencing, and found the resulting microbial profiles to be repeatable and nearly identical. Ecologically, the contaminant-controlled ice microbial profiles revealed significantly different microorganisms across the two depths in the GS3 ice core, which is consistent with changing climate, as reported for other glacier ice samples. Many GS3 ice core genera, including Methylobacterium, Sphingomonas, Flavobacterium, Janthinobacterium, Polaromonas, and Rhodobacter, were also abundant in previously studied ice cores, which suggests wide distribution across glacier environments. Together these findings help further establish “clean” procedures for studying low-biomass ice microbial communities and contribute to a baseline understanding of microorganisms archived in glacier ice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Ping Zhong
- Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States.,Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Natalie E Solonenko
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Maria C Gazitúa
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Donald V Kenny
- Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Ellen Mosley-Thompson
- Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States.,Department of Geography, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Virginia I Rich
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States.,Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - James L Van Etten
- Department of Plant Pathology and Nebraska Center for Virology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States
| | - Lonnie G Thompson
- Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States.,School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Matthew B Sullivan
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States.,Department of Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
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16
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Seyfullah LJ, Beimforde C, Dal Corso J, Perrichot V, Rikkinen J, Schmidt AR. Production and preservation of resins - past and present. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2018; 93:1684-1714. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Revised: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Leyla J. Seyfullah
- Department of Geobiology; University of Göttingen; 37077 Göttingen Germany
| | | | - Jacopo Dal Corso
- Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg, Institute for Advanced Study; 27753 Delmenhorst Germany
| | - Vincent Perrichot
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, Géosciences Rennes - UMR 6118; 35000 Rennes France
| | - Jouko Rikkinen
- Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki; 00014 Helsinki Finland
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences; University of Helsinki; 00014 Helsinki Finland
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17
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Negro JJ, Finlayson C, Galván I. Melanins in Fossil Animals: Is It Possible to Infer Life History Traits from the Coloration of Extinct Species? Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19020230. [PMID: 29360744 PMCID: PMC5855542 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19020230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Paleo-colour scientists have recently made the transition from describing melanin-based colouration in fossil specimens to inferring life-history traits of the species involved. Two such cases correspond to counter-shaded dinosaurs: dark-coloured due to melanins dorsally, and light-coloured ventrally. We believe that colour reconstruction of fossils based on the shape of preserved microstructures—the majority of paleo-colour studies involve melanin granules—is not without risks. In addition, animals with contrasting dorso-ventral colouration may be under different selection pressures beyond the need for camouflage, including, for instance, visual communication or ultraviolet (UV) protection. Melanin production is costly, and animals may invest less in areas of the integument where pigments are less needed. In addition, melanocytes exposed to UV radiation produce more melanin than unexposed melanocytes. Pigment economization may thus explain the colour pattern of some counter-shaded animals, including extinct species. Even in well-studied extant species, their diversity of hues and patterns is far from being understood; inferring colours and their functions in species only known from one or few specimens from the fossil record should be exerted with special prudence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan J Negro
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Doñana Biological Station-CSIC, 41092 Sevilla, Spain.
| | - Clive Finlayson
- The Gibraltar Museum, Gibraltar GX11 1AA, UK.
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Scarborough, ON M1C 1A4, Canada.
| | - Ismael Galván
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Doñana Biological Station-CSIC, 41092 Sevilla, Spain.
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18
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Parducci L, Bennett KD, Ficetola GF, Alsos IG, Suyama Y, Wood JR, Pedersen MW. Ancient plant DNA in lake sediments. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2017; 214:924-942. [PMID: 28370025 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2016] [Accepted: 12/07/2016] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Contents 924 I. 925 II. 925 III. 927 IV. 929 V. 930 VI. 930 VII. 931 VIII. 933 IX. 935 X. 936 XI. 938 938 References 938 SUMMARY: Recent advances in sequencing technologies now permit the analyses of plant DNA from fossil samples (ancient plant DNA, plant aDNA), and thus enable the molecular reconstruction of palaeofloras. Hitherto, ancient frozen soils have proved excellent in preserving DNA molecules, and have thus been the most commonly used source of plant aDNA. However, DNA from soil mainly represents taxa growing a few metres from the sampling point. Lakes have larger catchment areas and recent studies have suggested that plant aDNA from lake sediments is a more powerful tool for palaeofloristic reconstruction. Furthermore, lakes can be found globally in nearly all environments, and are therefore not limited to perennially frozen areas. Here, we review the latest approaches and methods for the study of plant aDNA from lake sediments and discuss the progress made up to the present. We argue that aDNA analyses add new and additional perspectives for the study of ancient plant populations and, in time, will provide higher taxonomic resolution and more precise estimation of abundance. Despite this, key questions and challenges remain for such plant aDNA studies. Finally, we provide guidelines on technical issues, including lake selection, and we suggest directions for future research on plant aDNA studies in lake sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Parducci
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, Uppsala, 75236, Sweden
| | - Keith D Bennett
- Department of Geography & Sustainable Development, School of Geography & Geosciences, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9AL, UK
- Marine Laboratory, Queen's University Belfast, Portaferry, BT22 1LS, UK
| | - Gentile Francesco Ficetola
- CNRS, Université Grenoble-Alpes, Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine (LECA), Grenoble, F-38000, France
- Department of Biosciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Inger Greve Alsos
- Tromsø Museum, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, NO-9037, Norway
| | - Yoshihisa Suyama
- Field Science Center, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 232-3 Yomogida, Naruko-onsen, Osaki, Miyagi, 989-6711, Japan
| | - Jamie R Wood
- Long-term Ecology Lab, Landcare Research, PO Box 69040, Lincoln Canterbury, 7640, New Zealand
| | - Mikkel Winther Pedersen
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 1350, Denmark
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19
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Isolating Viable Ancient Bacteria: What You Put In Is What You Get Out. GENOME ANNOUNCEMENTS 2016; 4:4/4/e00712-16. [PMID: 27563034 PMCID: PMC5000818 DOI: 10.1128/genomea.00712-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
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20
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to provide some key points for researchers interested in the study of ancient gastrointestinal parasites. These few pages are dedicated to my colleague and friend, Prof. Adauto Araújo (1951-2015), who participated in the writing of this chapter. His huge efforts in paleoparasitology contributed to the development and promotion of the discipline during more than 30 years.
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21
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Rivera-Perez JI, Santiago-Rodriguez TM, Toranzos GA. Paleomicrobiology: a Snapshot of Ancient Microbes and Approaches to Forensic Microbiology. Microbiol Spectr 2016; 4:10.1128/microbiolspec.EMF-0006-2015. [PMID: 27726770 PMCID: PMC5287379 DOI: 10.1128/microbiolspec.emf-0006-2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Paleomicrobiology, or the study of ancient microorganisms, has raised both fascination and skepticism for many years. While paleomicrobiology is not a recent field, the application of emerging techniques, such as DNA sequencing, is proving essential and has provided novel information regarding the evolution of viruses, antibiotic resistance, saprophytes, and pathogens, as well as ancient health and disease status, cultural customs, ethnic diets, and historical events. In this review, we highlight the importance of studying ancient microbial DNA, its contributions to current knowledge, and the role that forensic paleomicrobiology has played in deciphering historical enigmas. We also discuss the emerging techniques used to study the microbial composition of ancient samples as well as major concerns that accompany ancient DNA analyses.
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Abstract
Global microbial cell numbers in the seabed exceed those in the overlying water column, yet these organisms receive less than 1% of the energy fixed as organic matter in the ocean. The microorganisms of this marine deep biosphere subsist as stable and diverse communities with extremely low energy availability. Growth is exceedingly slow, possibly regulated by virus-induced mortality, and the mean generation times are tens to thousands of years. Intermediate substrates such as acetate are maintained at low micromolar concentrations, yet their turnover time may be several hundred years. Owing to slow growth, a cell community may go through only 10,000 generations from the time it is buried beneath the mixed surface layer until it reaches a depth of tens of meters several million years later. We discuss the efficiency of the energy-conserving machinery of subsurface microorganisms and how they may minimize energy consumption through necessary maintenance, repair, and growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Barker Jørgensen
- Center for Geomicrobiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; ,
| | - Ian P G Marshall
- Center for Geomicrobiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; ,
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23
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Torti A, Lever MA, Jørgensen BB. Origin, dynamics, and implications of extracellular DNA pools in marine sediments. Mar Genomics 2015; 24 Pt 3:185-96. [DOI: 10.1016/j.margen.2015.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2015] [Accepted: 08/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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24
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Parks M, Subramanian S, Baroni C, Salvatore MC, Zhang G, Millar CD, Lambert DM. Ancient population genomics and the study of evolution. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2015; 370:20130381. [PMID: 25487332 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2013.0381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, the study of ancient DNA (aDNA) has been greatly enhanced by the development of second-generation DNA sequencing technologies and targeted enrichment strategies. These developments have allowed the recovery of several complete ancient genomes, a result that would have been considered virtually impossible only a decade ago. Prior to these developments, aDNA research was largely focused on the recovery of short DNA sequences and their use in the study of phylogenetic relationships, molecular rates, species identification and population structure. However, it is now possible to sequence a large number of modern and ancient complete genomes from a single species and thereby study the genomic patterns of evolutionary change over time. Such a study would herald the beginnings of ancient population genomics and its use in the study of evolution. Species that are amenable to such large-scale studies warrant increased research effort. We report here progress on a population genomic study of the Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae). This species is ideally suited to ancient population genomic research because both modern and ancient samples are abundant in the permafrost conditions of Antarctica. This species will enable us to directly address many of the fundamental questions in ecology and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Parks
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Australia
| | - S Subramanian
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Australia
| | - C Baroni
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Universita di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - M C Salvatore
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Universita di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - G Zhang
- China National Genebank-Shenzhen, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Republic of China Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - C D Millar
- Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - D M Lambert
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Australia
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25
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Anagnostou P, Capocasa M, Milia N, Sanna E, Battaggia C, Luzi D, Destro Bisol G. When data sharing gets close to 100%: what human paleogenetics can teach the open science movement. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0121409. [PMID: 25799293 PMCID: PMC4370607 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0121409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2014] [Accepted: 02/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
This study analyzes data sharing regarding mitochondrial, Y chromosomal and autosomal polymorphisms in a total of 162 papers on ancient human DNA published between 1988 and 2013. The estimated sharing rate was not far from totality (97.6% ± 2.1%) and substantially higher than observed in other fields of genetic research (evolutionary, medical and forensic genetics). Both a questionnaire-based survey and the examination of Journals' editorial policies suggest that this high sharing rate cannot be simply explained by the need to comply with stakeholders requests. Most data were made available through body text, but the use of primary databases increased in coincidence with the introduction of complete mitochondrial and next-generation sequencing methods. Our study highlights three important aspects. First, our results imply that researchers' awareness of the importance of openness and transparency for scientific progress may complement stakeholders' policies in achieving very high sharing rates. Second, widespread data sharing does not necessarily coincide with a prevalent use of practices which maximize data findability, accessibility, useability and preservation. A detailed look at the different ways in which data are released can be very useful to detect failures to adopt the best sharing modalities and understand how to correct them. Third and finally, the case of human paleogenetics tells us that a widespread awareness of the importance of Open Science may be important to build reliable scientific practices even in the presence of complex experimental challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Anagnostou
- Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale, “Sapienza” Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
- Istituto Italiano di Antropologia, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Capocasa
- Istituto Italiano di Antropologia, Rome, Italy
- Dipartimento Biologia e Biotecnologie “Charles Darwin”, “Sapienza” Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Milia
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Emanuele Sanna
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Cinzia Battaggia
- Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale, “Sapienza” Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Luzi
- Istituto di Ricerche sulla Popolazione e le Politiche Sociali, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Destro Bisol
- Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale, “Sapienza” Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
- Istituto Italiano di Antropologia, Rome, Italy
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26
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De Baets K, Littlewood DTJ. The Importance of Fossils in Understanding the Evolution of Parasites and Their Vectors. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2015; 90:1-51. [PMID: 26597064 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2015.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Knowledge concerning the diversity of parasitism and its reach across our current understanding of the tree of life has benefitted considerably from novel molecular phylogenetic methods. However, the timing of events and the resolution of the nature of the intimate relationships between parasites and their hosts in deep time remain problematic. Despite its vagaries, the fossil record provides the only direct evidence of parasites and parasitism in the fossil record of extant and extinct lineages. Here, we demonstrate the potential of the fossil record and other lines of geological evidence to calibrate the origin and evolution of parasitism by combining different kinds of dating evidence with novel molecular clock methodologies. Other novel methods promise to provide additional evidence for the presence or the life habit of pathogens and their vectors, including the discovery and analysis of ancient DNA and other biomolecules, as well as computed tomographic methods.
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27
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Vítek P, Jehlička J, Edwards HGM, Hutchinson I, Ascaso C, Wierzchos J. Miniaturized Raman instrumentation detects carotenoids in Mars-analogue rocks from the Mojave and Atacama deserts. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2014; 372:rsta.2014.0196. [PMID: 25368344 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2014.0196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
This study is primarily focused on proving the potential of miniaturized Raman systems to detect any biomolecular and mineral signal in natural geobiological samples that are relevant for future application of the technique within astrobiologically aimed missions on Mars. A series of evaporites of varying composition and origin from two extremely dry deserts were studied, namely Atacama and Mojave. The samples represent both dry evaporitic deposits and recent evaporitic efflorescences from hypersaline brines. The samples comprise halite and different types of sulfates and carbonates. The samples were analysed in two different ways: (i) directly as untreated rocks and (ii) as homogenized powders. Two excitation wavelengths of miniaturized Raman spectrometers were compared: 532 and 785 nm. The potential to detect carotenoids as biomarkers on Mars compared with the potential detection of carbonaceous matter using miniaturized instrumentation is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Vítek
- Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Mineral Resources, Charles University in Prague, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - J Jehlička
- Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Mineral Resources, Charles University in Prague, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - H G M Edwards
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Space Sciences Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - I Hutchinson
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Space Sciences Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - C Ascaso
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, c/ Serrano 115 dpdo., 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - J Wierzchos
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, c/ Serrano 115 dpdo., 28006 Madrid, Spain
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28
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Jaakkola ST, Zerulla K, Guo Q, Liu Y, Ma H, Yang C, Bamford DH, Chen X, Soppa J, Oksanen HM. Halophilic archaea cultivated from surface sterilized middle-late eocene rock salt are polyploid. PLoS One 2014; 9:e110533. [PMID: 25338080 PMCID: PMC4206341 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2014] [Accepted: 09/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Live bacteria and archaea have been isolated from several rock salt deposits of up to hundreds of millions of years of age from all around the world. A key factor affecting their longevity is the ability to keep their genomic DNA intact, for which efficient repair mechanisms are needed. Polyploid microbes are known to have an increased resistance towards mutations and DNA damage, and it has been suggested that microbes from deeply buried rock salt would carry several copies of their genomes. Here, cultivable halophilic microbes were isolated from a surface sterilized middle-late Eocene (38–41 million years ago) rock salt sample, drilled from the depth of 800 m at Yunying salt mine, China. Eight unique isolates were obtained, which represented two haloarchaeal genera, Halobacterium and Halolamina. We used real-time PCR to show that our isolates are polyploid, with genome copy numbers of 11–14 genomes per cell in exponential growth phase. The ploidy level was slightly downregulated in stationary growth phase, but the cells still had an average genome copy number of 6–8. The polyploidy of halophilic archaea living in ancient rock salt might be a factor explaining how these organisms are able to overcome the challenge of prolonged survival during their entombment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salla T. Jaakkola
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Karolin Zerulla
- Institute for Molecular Biology, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Qinggong Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongling Ma
- Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunhe Yang
- Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Dennis H. Bamford
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Xiangdong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
- * E-mail: (HMO); (JS); (XC)
| | - Jörg Soppa
- Institute for Molecular Biology, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- * E-mail: (HMO); (JS); (XC)
| | - Hanna M. Oksanen
- Institute of Biotechnology and Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- * E-mail: (HMO); (JS); (XC)
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29
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Sankaranarayanan K, Lowenstein TK, Timofeeff MN, Schubert BA, Lum JK. Characterization of ancient DNA supports long-term survival of Haloarchaea. ASTROBIOLOGY 2014; 14:553-560. [PMID: 24977469 PMCID: PMC4094027 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2014.1173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2014] [Accepted: 05/14/2014] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria and archaea isolated from crystals of halite 10(4) to 10(8) years old suggest long-term survival of halophilic microorganisms, but the results are controversial. Independent verification of the authenticity of reputed living prokaryotes in ancient salt is required because of the high potential for environmental and laboratory contamination. Low success rates of prokaryote cultivation from ancient halite, however, hamper direct replication experiments. In such cases, culture-independent approaches that use the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing of 16S ribosomal DNA are a robust alternative. Here, we use amplification, cloning, and sequencing of 16S ribosomal DNA to investigate the authenticity of halophilic archaea cultured from subsurface halite, Death Valley, California, 22,000 to 34,000 years old. We recovered 16S ribosomal DNA sequences that are identical, or nearly so (>99%), to two strains, Natronomonas DV462A and Halorubrum DV427, which were previously isolated from the same halite interval. These results provide the best independent support to date for the long-term survival of halophilic archaea in ancient halite. PCR-based approaches are sensitive to small amounts of DNA and could allow investigation of even older halites, 10(6) to 10(8) years old, from which microbial cultures have been reported. Such studies of microbial life in ancient salt are particularly important as we search for microbial signatures in similar deposits on Mars and elsewhere in the Solar System.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krithivasan Sankaranarayanan
- Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Anthropology and Health, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York
| | - Tim K. Lowenstein
- Department of Geological Sciences and Environmental Studies, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York
| | - Michael N. Timofeeff
- Department of Geological Sciences and Environmental Studies, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York
| | - Brian A. Schubert
- School of Geosciences, University of Louisiana, Lafayette, Louisiana
| | - J. Koji Lum
- Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Anthropology and Health, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York
- Department of Anthropology, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York
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30
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Alawi M, Schneider B, Kallmeyer J. A procedure for separate recovery of extra- and intracellular DNA from a single marine sediment sample. J Microbiol Methods 2014; 104:36-42. [PMID: 24955890 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2014.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2014] [Revised: 06/12/2014] [Accepted: 06/12/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Extracellular DNA (eDNA) is a ubiquitous biological compound in aquatic sediment and soil. Previous studies suggested that eDNA plays an important role in biogeochemical element cycling, horizontal gene transfer and stabilization of biofilm structures. Previous methods for eDNA extraction were either not suitable for oligotrophic sediments or only allowed quantification but no genetic analyses. Our procedure is based on cell detachment and eDNA liberation from sediment particles by sequential washing with an alkaline sodium phosphate buffer followed by a separation of cells and eDNA. The separated eDNA is then bound onto silica particles and purified, whereas the intracellular DNA from the separated cells is extracted using a commercial kit. The method provides extra- and intracellular DNA of high purity that is suitable for downstream applications like PCR. Extracellular DNA was extracted from organic-rich shallow sediment of the Baltic Sea, glacially influenced sediment of the Barents Sea and from the oligotrophic South Pacific Gyre. The eDNA concentration in these samples varied from 23 to 626ngg(-1) wet weight sediment. A number of experiments were performed to verify each processing step. Although extraction efficiency is higher than other published methods, it is not fully quantitative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mashal Alawi
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section 4.5 Geomicrobiology, Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Beate Schneider
- University of Potsdam, Institute of Earth and Environmental Science, Geomicrobiology, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Jens Kallmeyer
- GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section 4.5 Geomicrobiology, Potsdam, Germany
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Thirty-thousand-year-old distant relative of giant icosahedral DNA viruses with a pandoravirus morphology. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:4274-9. [PMID: 24591590 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1320670111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 316] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The largest known DNA viruses infect Acanthamoeba and belong to two markedly different families. The Megaviridae exhibit pseudo-icosahedral virions up to 0.7 μm in diameter and adenine-thymine (AT)-rich genomes of up to 1.25 Mb encoding a thousand proteins. Like their Mimivirus prototype discovered 10 y ago, they entirely replicate within cytoplasmic virion factories. In contrast, the recently discovered Pandoraviruses exhibit larger amphora-shaped virions 1 μm in length and guanine-cytosine-rich genomes up to 2.8 Mb long encoding up to 2,500 proteins. Their replication involves the host nucleus. Whereas the Megaviridae share some general features with the previously described icosahedral large DNA viruses, the Pandoraviruses appear unrelated to them. Here we report the discovery of a third type of giant virus combining an even larger pandoravirus-like particle 1.5 μm in length with a surprisingly smaller 600 kb AT-rich genome, a gene content more similar to Iridoviruses and Marseillevirus, and a fully cytoplasmic replication reminiscent of the Megaviridae. This suggests that pandoravirus-like particles may be associated with a variety of virus families more diverse than previously envisioned. This giant virus, named Pithovirus sibericum, was isolated from a >30,000-y-old radiocarbon-dated sample when we initiated a survey of the virome of Siberian permafrost. The revival of such an ancestral amoeba-infecting virus used as a safe indicator of the possible presence of pathogenic DNA viruses, suggests that the thawing of permafrost either from global warming or industrial exploitation of circumpolar regions might not be exempt from future threats to human or animal health.
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32
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Shapiro B, Hofreiter M. A paleogenomic perspective on evolution and gene function: new insights from ancient DNA. Science 2014; 343:1236573. [PMID: 24458647 DOI: 10.1126/science.1236573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The publication of partial and complete paleogenomes within the last few years has reinvigorated research in ancient DNA. No longer limited to short fragments of mitochondrial DNA, inference of evolutionary processes through time can now be investigated from genome-wide data sampled as far back as 700,000 years. Tremendous insights have been made, in particular regarding the hominin lineage. With rare exception, however, a paleogenomic perspective has been mired by the quality and quantity of recoverable DNA. Though conceptually simple, extracting ancient DNA remains challenging, and sequencing ancient genomes to high coverage remains prohibitively expensive for most laboratories. Still, with improvements in DNA isolation and declining sequencing costs, the taxonomic and geographic purview of paleogenomics is expanding at a rapid pace. With improved capacity to screen large numbers of samples for those with high proportions of endogenous ancient DNA, paleogenomics is poised to become a key technology to better understand recent evolutionary events.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Shapiro
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
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33
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Bacterial natural transformation by highly fragmented and damaged DNA. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 110:19860-5. [PMID: 24248361 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1315278110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA molecules are continuously released through decomposition of organic matter and are ubiquitous in most environments. Such DNA becomes fragmented and damaged (often <100 bp) and may persist in the environment for more than half a million years. Fragmented DNA is recognized as nutrient source for microbes, but not as potential substrate for bacterial evolution. Here, we show that fragmented DNA molecules (≥ 20 bp) that additionally may contain abasic sites, cross-links, or miscoding lesions are acquired by the environmental bacterium Acinetobacter baylyi through natural transformation. With uptake of DNA from a 43,000-y-old woolly mammoth bone, we further demonstrate that such natural transformation events include ancient DNA molecules. We find that the DNA recombination is RecA recombinase independent and is directly linked to DNA replication. We show that the adjacent nucleotide variations generated by uptake of short DNA fragments escape mismatch repair. Moreover, double-nucleotide polymorphisms appear more common among genomes of transformable than nontransformable bacteria. Our findings reveal that short and damaged, including truly ancient, DNA molecules, which are present in large quantities in the environment, can be acquired by bacteria through natural transformation. Our findings open for the possibility that natural genetic exchange can occur with DNA up to several hundreds of thousands years old.
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34
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Rosselló JA. The never-ending story of geologically ancient DNA: was the model plantArabidopsisthe source of Miocene Dominican amber? Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Josep A. Rosselló
- Jardín Botánico; Universidad de Valencia; c/Quart 80 E-46008 Valencia Spain
- Marimurtra Bot. Garden; Carl Faust Fdn. PO Box 112 Blanes E-17300 Catalonia Spain
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Penney D, Wadsworth C, Fox G, Kennedy SL, Preziosi RF, Brown TA. Absence of ancient DNA in sub-fossil insect inclusions preserved in 'Anthropocene' Colombian copal. PLoS One 2013; 8:e73150. [PMID: 24039876 PMCID: PMC3770633 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0073150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2013] [Accepted: 07/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects preserved in copal, the sub-fossilized resin precursor of amber, have potential value in molecular ecological studies of recently-extinct species and of extant species that have never been collected as living specimens. The objective of the work reported in this paper was therefore to determine if ancient DNA is present in insects preserved in copal. We prepared DNA libraries from two stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini: Trigonisca ameliae) preserved in ‘Anthropocene’ Colombian copal, dated to ‘post-Bomb’ and 10,612±62 cal yr BP, respectively, and obtained sequence reads using the GS Junior 454 System. Read numbers were low, but were significantly higher for DNA extracts prepared from crushed insects compared with extracts obtained by a non-destructive method. The younger specimen yielded sequence reads up to 535 nucleotides in length, but searches of these sequences against the nucleotide database revealed very few significant matches. None of these hits was to stingless bees though one read of 97 nucleotides aligned with two non-contiguous segments of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene of the East Asia bumblebee Bombus hypocrita. The most significant hit was for 452 nucleotides of a 470-nucleotide read that aligned with part of the genome of the root-nodulating bacterium Bradyrhizobium japonicum. The other significant hits were to proteobacteria and an actinomycete. Searches directed specifically at Apidae nucleotide sequences only gave short and insignificant alignments. All of the reads from the older specimen appeared to be artefacts. We were therefore unable to obtain any convincing evidence for the preservation of ancient DNA in either of the two copal inclusions that we studied, and conclude that DNA is not preserved in this type of material. Our results raise further doubts about claims of DNA extraction from fossil insects in amber, many millions of years older than copal.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Penney
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Caroline Wadsworth
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Graeme Fox
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Sandra L. Kennedy
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Richard F. Preziosi
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Terence A. Brown
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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36
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Jakubovics NS, Shields RC, Rajarajan N, Burgess JG. Life after death: the critical role of extracellular DNA in microbial biofilms. Lett Appl Microbiol 2013; 57:467-75. [PMID: 23848166 DOI: 10.1111/lam.12134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2013] [Revised: 06/25/2013] [Accepted: 07/10/2013] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The death and lysis of microbial cells leads to the release of cytoplasmic contents, many of which are rapidly degraded by enzymes. However, some macromolecules survive intact and find new functions in the extracellular environment. There is now strong evidence that DNA released from cells during lysis, or sometimes by active secretion, becomes a key component of the macromolecular scaffold in many different biofilms. Enzymatic degradation of extracellular DNA can weaken the biofilm structure and release microbial cells from the surface. Many bacteria produce extracellular deoxyribonuclease (DNase) enzymes that are apparently tightly regulated to avoid excessive degradation of the biofilm matrix. Interfering with these control mechanisms, or adding exogenous DNases, could prove a potent strategy for controlling biofilm growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- N S Jakubovics
- Oral Biology, School of Dental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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37
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Orsini L, Schwenk K, De Meester L, Colbourne JK, Pfrender ME, Weider LJ. The evolutionary time machine: using dormant propagules to forecast how populations can adapt to changing environments. Trends Ecol Evol 2013; 28:274-82. [PMID: 23395434 PMCID: PMC3640660 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2013.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2012] [Revised: 01/11/2013] [Accepted: 01/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Evolutionary changes are determined by a complex assortment of ecological, demographic, and adaptive histories. Predicting how evolution will shape the genetic structures of populations coping with current (and future) environmental challenges has principally relied on investigations through space, in lieu of time, because long-term phenotypic and molecular data are scarce. Yet, dormant propagules in sediments, soils, and permafrost are convenient natural archives of population histories from which to trace adaptive trajectories along extended time periods. DNA sequence data obtained from these natural archives, combined with pioneering methods for analyzing both ecological and population genomic time-series data, are likely to provide predictive models to forecast evolutionary responses of natural populations to environmental changes resulting from natural and anthropogenic stressors, including climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Orsini
- Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, University of Leuven, Ch Deberiotstraat 32, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
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Abstract
Entering into the world of ancient DNA research is nontrivial. Because the DNA in most ancient specimens is degraded to some extent, the potential for contamination of ancient samples and DNA extracts with modern DNA is considerable. To minimize the risk associated with working with ancient DNA, experimental protocols specific to handling ancient specimens have been introduced. Here, I outline the challenges associated with working with ancient DNA and describe guidelines for setting up a new ancient DNA laboratory. I also discuss steps that can be taken at the sample collection and preparation stage to minimize the potential for contamination with exogenous sources of DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara L Fulton
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, 320 Mueller Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
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39
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Ancient microbes from halite fluid inclusions: optimized surface sterilization and DNA extraction. PLoS One 2011; 6:e20683. [PMID: 21694765 PMCID: PMC3111412 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0020683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2010] [Accepted: 05/07/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluid inclusions in evaporite minerals (halite, gypsum, etc.) potentially preserve genetic records of microbial diversity and changing environmental conditions of Earth's hydrosphere for nearly one billion years. Here we describe a robust protocol for surface sterilization and retrieval of DNA from fluid inclusions in halite that, unlike previously published methods, guarantees removal of potentially contaminating surface-bound DNA. The protocol involves microscopic visualization of cell structures, deliberate surface contamination followed by surface sterilization with acid and bleach washes, and DNA extraction using Amicon centrifugal filters. Methods were verified on halite crystals of four different ages from Saline Valley, California (modern, 36 ka, 64 ka, and 150 ka), with retrieval of algal and archaeal DNA, and characterization of the algal community using ITS1 sequences. The protocol we developed opens up new avenues for study of ancient microbial ecosystems in fluid inclusions, understanding microbial evolution across geological time, and investigating the antiquity of life on earth and other parts of the solar system.
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40
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Lennon JT, Jones SE. Microbial seed banks: the ecological and evolutionary implications of dormancy. Nat Rev Microbiol 2011; 9:119-30. [PMID: 21233850 DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro2504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 880] [Impact Index Per Article: 67.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Dormancy is a bet-hedging strategy used by a wide range of taxa, including microorganisms. It refers to an organism's ability to enter a reversible state of low metabolic activity when faced with unfavourable environmental conditions. Dormant microorganisms generate a seed bank, which comprises individuals that are capable of being resuscitated following environmental change. In this Review, we highlight mechanisms that have evolved in microorganisms to allow them to successfully enter and exit a dormant state, and discuss the implications of microbial seed banks for evolutionary dynamics, population persistence, maintenance of biodiversity, and the stability of ecosystem processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay T Lennon
- W.K. Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University, 3700 East Gull Lake Drive, Hickory Corners, Michigan 49060, USA.
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41
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Macdonald AJ, Sarre SD, Fitzsimmons NN, Aitken N. Determining microsatellite genotyping reliability and mutation detection ability: an approach using small-pool PCR from sperm DNA. Mol Genet Genomics 2010; 285:1-18. [PMID: 20957392 DOI: 10.1007/s00438-010-0577-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2010] [Accepted: 09/10/2010] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Microsatellite genotyping from trace DNA is now common in fields as diverse as medicine, forensics and wildlife genetics. Conversely, small-pool PCR (SP-PCR) has been used to investigate microsatellite mutation mechanisms in human DNA, but has had only limited application to non-human species. Trace DNA and SP-PCR studies share many challenges, including problems associated with allelic drop-out, false alleles and other PCR artefacts, and the need to reliably identify genuine alleles and/or mutations. We provide a framework for the validation of such studies without a multiple tube approach and demonstrate the utility of that approach with an analysis of microsatellite mutations in the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii). Specifically, we amplified three autosomal microsatellites from somatic DNA to characterise efficiency and reliability of PCR from low-template DNA. Reconstruction experiments determined our ability to discriminate mutations from parental alleles. We then developed rules to guide data interpretation. We estimated mutation rates in sperm DNA to range from 1.5 × 10(-2) to 2.2 × 10(-3) mutations per locus per generation. Large multi-step mutations were observed, providing evidence for complex mutation processes at microsatellites and potentially violating key assumptions in the stepwise mutation model. Our data demonstrate the necessity of actively searching for large mutation events when investigating microsatellite evolution and highlight the need for a thorough understanding of microsatellite amplification characteristics before embarking on SP-PCR or trace DNA studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna J Macdonald
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
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42
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Janes DE, Organ CL, Fujita MK, Shedlock AM, Edwards SV. Genome evolution in Reptilia, the sister group of mammals. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 2010; 11:239-64. [PMID: 20590429 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genom-082509-141646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The genomes of birds and nonavian reptiles (Reptilia) are critical for understanding genome evolution in mammals and amniotes generally. Despite decades of study at the chromosomal and single-gene levels, and the evidence for great diversity in genome size, karyotype, and sex chromosome diversity, reptile genomes are virtually unknown in the comparative genomics era. The recent sequencing of the chicken and zebra finch genomes, in conjunction with genome scans and the online publication of the Anolis lizard genome, has begun to clarify the events leading from an ancestral amniote genome--predicted to be large and to possess a diverse repeat landscape on par with mammals and a birdlike sex chromosome system--to the small and highly streamlined genomes of birds. Reptilia exhibit a wide range of evolutionary rates of different subgenomes and, from isochores to mitochondrial DNA, provide a critical contrast to the genomic paradigms established in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E Janes
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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43
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Vítek P, Edwards HGM, Jehlicka J, Ascaso C, De los Ríos A, Valea S, Jorge-Villar SE, Davila AF, Wierzchos J. Microbial colonization of halite from the hyper-arid Atacama Desert studied by Raman spectroscopy. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2010; 368:3205-21. [PMID: 20529955 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2010.0059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The hyper-arid core of the Atacama Desert (Chile) is the driest place on Earth and is considered a close analogue to the extremely arid conditions on the surface of Mars. Microbial life is very rare in soils of this hyper-arid region, and autotrophic micro-organisms are virtually absent. Instead, photosynthetic micro-organisms have successfully colonized the interior of halite crusts, which are widespread in the Atacama Desert. These endoevaporitic colonies are an example of life that has adapted to the extreme dryness by colonizing the interior of rocks that provide enhanced moisture conditions. As such, these colonies represent a novel example of potential life on Mars. Here, we present non-destructive Raman spectroscopical identification of these colonies and their organic remnants. Spectral signatures revealed the presence of UV-protective biomolecules as well as light-harvesting pigments pointing to photosynthetic activity. Compounds of biogenic origin identified within these rocks differed depending on the origins of specimens from particular areas in the desert, with differing environmental conditions. Our results also demonstrate the capability of Raman spectroscopy to identify biomarkers within rocks that have a strong astrobiological potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Vítek
- Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Mineral Resources, Charles University in Prague, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic.
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44
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Baati H, Guermazi S, Gharsallah N, Sghir A, Ammar E. Microbial community of salt crystals processed from Mediterranean seawater based on 16S rRNA analysis. Can J Microbiol 2010; 56:44-51. [PMID: 20130693 DOI: 10.1139/w09-102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA was used to investigate for the first time the structure of the microbial community that inhabits salt crystals retrieved from the bottom of a solar saltern, located in the coastal area of the Mediterranean Sea (Sfax, Tunisia). This community lives in an extremely salty environment of 250-310 g/L total dissolved salt. A total of 78 bacterial 16S rRNA clone sequences making up to 21 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), determined by the DOTUR program to 97% sequence similarity, was analyzed. These OTUs were affiliated to Bacteroidetes (71.4% of OTUs), and gamma-Proteobacteria and alpha-Proteobacteria (equally represented by 14.2% of the OTUs observed). The archaeal community composition appeared more diverse with 68 clones, resulting in 44 OTUs, all affiliated with the Euryarchaeota phylum. Of the bacterial and archaeal clones showing <97% 16S rRNA sequence identity with sequences in public databases, 47.6% and 84.1% respectively were novel clones. Both rarefaction curves and diversity measurements (Simpson, Shannon-Weaver, Chao) showed a more diverse archaeal than bacterial community at the Tunisian solar saltern pond. The analysis of an increasing clone's number may reveal additional local diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houda Baati
- Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sfax, Unité de Recherche: Etude et Gestion des Environnements Côtier et Urbain, B.P. 1173, 3038 Sfax, Tunisia
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45
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Park JS, Vreeland RH, Cho BC, Lowenstein TK, Timofeeff MN, Rosenzweig WD. Haloarchaeal diversity in 23, 121 and 419 MYA salts. GEOBIOLOGY 2009; 7:515-523. [PMID: 19849725 DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-4669.2009.00218.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
DNA was extracted from surface-sterilized salt of different geological ages (23, 121, 419 million years of age, MYA) to investigate haloarchaeal diversity. Only Haloarcula and Halorubrum DNA was found in 23 MYA salt. Older crystals contained unclassified groups and Halobacterium. The older crystals yielded a unique 55-bp insert within the 16S rRNA V2 region. The secondary structure of the V2 region completely differed from that in haloarchaea of modern environments. The DNA demonstrates that unknown haloarchaea and the Halobacterium were key components in ancient hypersaline environments. Halorubrum and Haloarcula appear to be a dominant group in relatively modern hypersaline habitats.
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MESH Headings
- Base Sequence
- Biodiversity
- Cluster Analysis
- DNA, Archaeal/chemistry
- DNA, Archaeal/genetics
- DNA, Archaeal/isolation & purification
- DNA, Ribosomal/chemistry
- DNA, Ribosomal/genetics
- DNA, Ribosomal/isolation & purification
- Geologic Sediments/microbiology
- Haloarcula/genetics
- Haloarcula/isolation & purification
- Halobacterium/genetics
- Halobacterium/isolation & purification
- Halorubrum/genetics
- Halorubrum/isolation & purification
- Models, Molecular
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Nucleic Acid Conformation
- Phylogeny
- RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
- Salts
- Sequence Analysis, DNA
- Sequence Homology
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Affiliation(s)
- J S Park
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Program in Integrated Microbial Diversity, and Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
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46
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Schubert BA, Lowenstein TK, Timofeeff MN, Parker MA. Halophilic Archaea cultured from ancient halite, Death Valley, California. Environ Microbiol 2009; 12:440-54. [PMID: 19840101 DOI: 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2009.02086.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Halophilic Archaea cultured from ancient fluid inclusions in a 90-m-long (0- to 100,000-year-old) salt core from Death Valley, California, demonstrate survival of bacterial cells in subsurface halite for up to 34,000 years. Five enrichment cultures, representing three genera of halophilic Archaea (Halorubrum, Natronomonas and Haloterrigena), were obtained from five surface-sterilized halite crystals exclusively in one section of the core (13.0-17.8 m; 22,000-34,000 years old) containing perennial saline lake deposits. Prokaryote cells were observed microscopically in situ within fluid inclusions from every layer that produced culturable cells. Another 876 crystals analysed from depths of 8.1-86.7 m (10,000-100,000 years old) failed to yield live halophilic Archaea. Considering the number of halite crystals tested (culturing success of 0.6%), microbial survival in fluid inclusions in halite is rare and related to the paleoenvironment, which controls the distribution and abundance of trapped microorganisms. Two cultures from two crystals at 17.8 m that yielded identical 16S rRNA sequences (genus: Haloterrigena) demonstrate intra-laboratory reproducibility. Inter-laboratory reproducibility is shown by two halophilic Archaea (genus: Natronomonas), with 99.3% similarity of 16S rRNA sequences, cultured from the same core interval, but at separate laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian A Schubert
- Department of Geological Sciences and Environmental Studies, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA.
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47
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Ho SYW, Gilbert MTP. Ancient mitogenomics. Mitochondrion 2009; 10:1-11. [PMID: 19788938 DOI: 10.1016/j.mito.2009.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2009] [Revised: 09/21/2009] [Accepted: 09/23/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The mitochondrial genome has been the traditional focus of most research into ancient DNA, owing to its high copy number and population-level variability. Despite this long-standing interest in mitochondrial DNA, it was only in 2001 that the first complete ancient mitogenomic sequences were obtained. As a result of various methodological developments, including the introduction of high-throughput sequencing techniques, the total number of ancient mitogenome sequences has increased rapidly over the past few years. In this review, we present a brief history of ancient mitogenomics and describe the technical challenges that face researchers in the field. We catalogue the diverse sequencing methods and source materials used to obtain ancient mitogenomic sequences, summarise the associated genetic and phylogenetic studies that have been conducted, and evaluate the future prospects of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Y W Ho
- Centre for Macroevolution and Macroecology, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200, Australia.
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48
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Gibbon VE, Penny CB, Štrkalj G, Ruff P. Brief communication: Minimally invasive bone sampling method for DNA analysis. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2009; 139:596-9. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.21048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Redman JE, Shaw MJ, Mallet AI, Santos AL, Roberts CA, Gernaey AM, Minnikin DE. Mycocerosic acid biomarkers for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in the Coimbra Skeletal Collection. Tuberculosis (Edinb) 2009; 89:267-77. [PMID: 19493698 DOI: 10.1016/j.tube.2009.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2008] [Revised: 04/08/2009] [Accepted: 04/10/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Tuberculosis has been a scourge of humans over many millennia, but questions remain regarding its evolution and epidemiology. Fossil biomarkers, such as DNA and long-chain mycolic acids, can be detected in ancient skeletal and other materials. The phthiocerol dimycocerosate waxes are also robust biomarkers for tuberculosis and sensitive methods are available for the detection of their mycocerosic acid components. The presence of mycocerosic acids was investigated in 49 individuals from the 1837-1936 Coimbra Identified Skeletal Collection (Portugal), half with documentary data indicating tuberculosis as a cause of death. Samples were hydrolysed, acidic components converted to pentafluorobenzyl esters, the non-hydroxylated long-chain esters isolated, and this fraction separated into multimethyl-branched and other esters by normal phase high performance liquid chromatography. Negative ion chemical ionisation gas chromatography mass spectrometry was used to detect diagnostic C29, C30 and C32 mycocerosic acids. Mycocerosic acids were detected in archaeological material for the first time, illustrating that they are valuable biomarkers for the diagnosis of ancient tuberculosis. A 72% correlation with the Coimbra burial record supported TB as the major cause of death. In addition, 30% of the skeletons, positive for mycocerosates, showed the presence of related long-chain mycolipenic acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet E Redman
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
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Gérard E, Moreira D, Philippot P, Van Kranendonk MJ, López-García P. Modern subsurface bacteria in pristine 2.7 Ga-old fossil stromatolite drillcore samples from the Fortescue Group, Western Australia. PLoS One 2009; 4:e5298. [PMID: 19396360 PMCID: PMC2671143 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0005298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2008] [Accepted: 03/23/2009] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Several abiotic processes leading to the formation of life-like signatures or later contamination with actual biogenic traces can blur the interpretation of the earliest fossil record. In recent years, a large body of evidence showing the occurrence of diverse and active microbial communities in the terrestrial subsurface has accumulated. Considering the time elapsed since Archaean sedimentation, the contribution of subsurface microbial communities postdating the rock formation to the fossil biomarker pool and other biogenic remains in Archaean rocks may be far from negligible. Methodology/Principal Findings In order to evaluate the degree of potential contamination of Archean rocks by modern microorganisms, we looked for the presence of living indigenous bacteria in fresh diamond drillcores through 2,724 Myr-old stromatolites (Tumbiana Formation, Fortescue Group, Western Australia) using molecular methods based on the amplification of small subunit ribosomal RNA genes (SSU rDNAs). We analyzed drillcore samples from 4.3 m and 66.2 m depth, showing signs of meteoritic alteration, and also from deeper “fresh” samples showing no apparent evidence for late stage alteration (68 m, 78.8 m, and 99.3 m). We also analyzed control samples from drilling and sawing fluids and a series of laboratory controls to establish a list of potential contaminants introduced during sample manipulation and PCR experiments. We identified in this way the presence of indigenous bacteria belonging to Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Alpha-, Beta-, and Gammaproteobacteria in aseptically-sawed inner parts of drillcores down to at least 78.8 m depth. Conclusions/Significance The presence of modern bacterial communities in subsurface fossil stromatolite layers opens the possibility that a continuous microbial colonization had existed in the past and contributed to the accumulation of biogenic traces over geological timescales. This finding casts shadow on bulk analyses of early life remains and makes claims for morphological, chemical, isotopic, and biomarker traces syngenetic with the rock unreliable in the absence of detailed contextual analyses at microscale.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David Moreira
- Unité d'Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution - CNRS UMR8079, Université Paris-Sud 11, Orsay, France
| | | | | | - Purificación López-García
- Unité d'Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution - CNRS UMR8079, Université Paris-Sud 11, Orsay, France
- * E-mail:
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