Biochemical and physical correlates of DNA contamination in archaeological human bones and teeth excavated at Matera,Italy |
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| Institution: | 1. Henry Wellcome Ancient Biomolecules Centre, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK;2. Research Laboratory, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Frederik V Vej 11, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark;3. Department of Evolutionary Biology, Zoological Institute, University of Copenhagen, 5 Universitetsparken, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark;4. Department of Forensic Genetics, University of Copenhagen, Frederik V''s Vej 11, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark;5. Fossil Fuels and Environmental Geochemistry, NRG, Drummond Building, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK;6. Institut für Geowissenschaften, Sigwartstrasse 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany;7. Institute for Geo and Bioarchaeology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, Holland;8. Dipartimento di Beni Culturali, Via D. Birago, 64, University of Lecce, 73100 Lecce, Italy;9. Laboratory of Biological Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Frederik V Vej 11, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark;10. Institutt for arkeologi og kulturhistorie, NTNU, Vitenskapsmuseet, 7491 Trondheim, Norway;11. Hertford College, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3BW, UK;1. Integrative Prehistory and Archaeological Science, University of Basel, Switzerland;2. Natural History Museum of Basel, Anthropological Collection, Switzerland;3. Biological Anthropology, University of Freiburg, Germany;4. Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland;1. Laboratorio di Antropologia fisica, Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche ed Ambientali, BiGeA, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy;2. Chaire d''Anthropologie biologique Paul Broca, EPHE-PSL University, Paris, France;3. UMR 5199 PACEA, CNRS/University of Bordeaux/Ministry of Culture, LabEx Sciences archéologiques de Bordeaux, n°ANR-10-LABX-52, Pessac, France;4. Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany;5. Department of Anthropology, Canada Social Science Centre, Western University, London, ON, Canada;1. University of Tennessee, Department of Anthropology, 1621 Cumberland Avenue, 502A Strong Hall, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States;2. Bode Cellmark Forensics, 10430 Furnace Road, Suite 107, Lorton, VA, 22079, United States;3. University of Tennessee, Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, 2506 E.J. Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN, 37996, United States |
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| Abstract: | The majority of ancient DNA studies on human specimens have utilised teeth and bone as a source of genetic material. In this study the levels of endogenous contamination (i.e. present within the sample prior to sampling for the DNA analysis) are assessed within human bone and teeth specimens sampled from the cemetery of Santa Lucia alle Malve, Matera, Italy. This site is of exceptional interest, because the samples have been assayed for 18 measures of biochemical and physical preservation, and it is the only one identified in a study of more than 107 animal and 154 human bones from 43 sites across Europe, where a significant number of human bones was well preserved. The findings demonstrate several important issues: (a) although teeth are more resilient to contamination than bone, both are readily contaminated (presumably through handling or washing), and (b) once contaminated in this way, both are difficult (if not impossible) to decontaminate. Furthermore, although assessed on bone samples, several of the specific biochemical and physical characteristics that describe overall sample preservation, levels of microbial attack and related increases in sample porosity directly correlate with the presence of observable contamination in both bone and teeth samples from individual samples. While we can only speculate on the cause of this relationship, we posit that they provide useful guides for the assessment of whether samples are likely to be contaminated or not. |
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