@article {pmid30108597,
year = {2018},
author = {Zhu, B and Li, H and Wen, J and Mysore, KS and Wang, X and Pei, Y and Niu, L and Lin, H},
title = {Functional Specialization of Duplicated AGAMOUS Homologs in Regulating Floral Organ Development of Medicago truncatula.},
journal = {Frontiers in plant science},
volume = {9},
number = {},
pages = {854},
doi = {10.3389/fpls.2018.00854},
pmid = {30108597},
issn = {1664-462X},
abstract = {The C function gene AGAMOUS (AG) encodes for a MADS-box transcription factor required for floral organ identity and floral meristem (FM) determinacy in angiosperms. Unlike Arabidopsis, most legume plants possess two AG homologs arose by an ancient genome duplication event. Recently, two euAGAMOUS genes, MtAGa and MtAGb, were characterized and shown to fulfill the C function activity in the model legume Medicago truncatula. Here, we reported the isolation and characterization of a new mtaga allele by screening the Medicago Tnt1 insertion mutant collection. We found that MtAGa was not only required for controlling the stamen and carpel identity but also affected pod and seed development. Genetic analysis indicated that MtAGa and MtAGb redundantly control Medicago floral organ identity, but have minimal distinct functions in regulating stamen and carpel development in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, the stamens and carpels are mostly converted to numerous vexillum-like petals in the double mutant of mtaga mtagb, which is distinguished from Arabidopsis ag. Further qRT-PCR analysis in different mtag mutants revealed that MtAGa and MtAGb can repress the expression of putative A and B function genes as well as MtWUS, but promote putative D function genes expression in M. truncatula. In addition, we found that the abnormal dorsal petal phenotype observed in the mtaga mtagb double mutant is associated with the upregulation of CYCLOIDEA (CYC)-like TCP genes. Taken together, our data suggest that the redundant MtAGa and MtAGb genes of M. truncatula employ a conserved mechanism of action similar to Arabidopsis in determining floral organ identity and FM determinacy but may have evolved distinct function in regulating floral symmetry by coordinating with specific floral dorsoventral identity factors.},
}

@article {pmid30107783,
year = {2018},
author = {Cruz-Dávalos, DI and Nieves-Colón, MA and Sockell, A and Poznik, GD and Schroeder, H and Stone, AC and Bustamante, CD and Malaspinas, AS and Ávila-Arcos, MC},
title = {In-solution Y-chromosome capture-enrichment on ancient DNA libraries.},
journal = {BMC genomics},
volume = {19},
number = {1},
pages = {608},
doi = {10.1186/s12864-018-4945-x},
pmid = {30107783},
issn = {1471-2164},
support = {IA206817//Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México/ ; FP7/2007-2013, grant no. 290344, EUROTAST//European Research Council/International ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: As most ancient biological samples have low levels of endogenous DNA, it is advantageous to enrich for specific genomic regions prior to sequencing. One approach-in-solution capture-enrichment-retrieves sequences of interest and reduces the fraction of microbial DNA. In this work, we implement a capture-enrichment approach targeting informative regions of the Y chromosome in six human archaeological remains excavated in the Caribbean and dated between 200 and 3000 years BP. We compare the recovery rate of Y-chromosome capture (YCC) alone, whole-genome capture followed by YCC (WGC + YCC) versus non-enriched (pre-capture) libraries.

RESULTS: The six samples show different levels of initial endogenous content, with very low (< 0.05%, 4 samples) or low (0.1-1.54%, 2 samples) percentages of sequenced reads mapping to the human genome. We recover 12-9549 times more targeted unique Y-chromosome sequences after capture, where 0.0-6.2% (WGC + YCC) and 0.0-23.5% (YCC) of the sequence reads were on-target, compared to 0.0-0.00003% pre-capture. In samples with endogenous DNA content greater than 0.1%, we found that WGC followed by YCC (WGC + YCC) yields lower enrichment due to the loss of complexity in consecutive capture experiments, whereas in samples with lower endogenous content, the libraries' initial low complexity leads to minor proportions of Y-chromosome reads. Finally, increasing recovery of informative sites enabled us to assign Y-chromosome haplogroups to some of the archeological remains and gain insights about their paternal lineages and origins.

CONCLUSIONS: We present to our knowledge the first in-solution capture-enrichment method targeting the human Y-chromosome in aDNA sequencing libraries. YCC and WGC + YCC enrichments lead to an increase in the amount of Y-DNA sequences, as compared to libraries not enriched for the Y-chromosome. Our probe design effectively recovers regions of the Y-chromosome bearing phylogenetically informative sites, allowing us to identify paternal lineages with less sequencing than needed for pre-capture libraries. Finally, we recommend considering the endogenous content in the experimental design and avoiding consecutive rounds of capture, as clonality increases considerably with each round.},
}

@article {pmid29562232,
year = {2018},
author = {Hajdinjak, M and Fu, Q and Hübner, A and Petr, M and Mafessoni, F and Grote, S and Skoglund, P and Narasimham, V and Rougier, H and Crevecoeur, I and Semal, P and Soressi, M and Talamo, S and Hublin, JJ and Gušić, I and Kućan, Ž and Rudan, P and Golovanova, LV and Doronichev, VB and Posth, C and Krause, J and Korlević, P and Nagel, S and Nickel, B and Slatkin, M and Patterson, N and Reich, D and Prüfer, K and Meyer, M and Pääbo, S and Kelso, J},
title = {Reconstructing the genetic history of late Neanderthals.},
journal = {Nature},
volume = {555},
number = {7698},
pages = {652-656},
doi = {10.1038/nature26151},
pmid = {29562232},
issn = {1476-4687},
support = {/HHMI/Howard Hughes Medical Institute/United States ; },
mesh = {Africa/ethnology ; Animals ; Bone and Bones ; DNA, Ancient/analysis ; Europe/ethnology ; Female ; Gene Flow ; Genetics, Population ; Genome/*genetics ; Genomics ; Humans ; Hypochlorous Acid ; Male ; Neanderthals/*classification/*genetics ; *Phylogeny ; Siberia/ethnology ; Tooth ; },
abstract = {Although it has previously been shown that Neanderthals contributed DNA to modern humans, not much is known about the genetic diversity of Neanderthals or the relationship between late Neanderthal populations at the time at which their last interactions with early modern humans occurred and before they eventually disappeared. Our ability to retrieve DNA from a larger number of Neanderthal individuals has been limited by poor preservation of endogenous DNA and contamination of Neanderthal skeletal remains by large amounts of microbial and present-day human DNA. Here we use hypochlorite treatment of as little as 9 mg of bone or tooth powder to generate between 1- and 2.7-fold genomic coverage of five Neanderthals who lived around 39,000 to 47,000 years ago (that is, late Neanderthals), thereby doubling the number of Neanderthals for which genome sequences are available. Genetic similarity among late Neanderthals is well predicted by their geographical location, and comparison to the genome of an older Neanderthal from the Caucasus indicates that a population turnover is likely to have occurred, either in the Caucasus or throughout Europe, towards the end of Neanderthal history. We find that the bulk of Neanderthal gene flow into early modern humans originated from one or more source populations that diverged from the Neanderthals that were studied here at least 70,000 years ago, but after they split from a previously sequenced Neanderthal from Siberia around 150,000 years ago. Although four of the Neanderthals studied here post-date the putative arrival of early modern humans into Europe, we do not detect any recent gene flow from early modern humans in their ancestry.},
}

Africa/ethnology
Animals
Bone and Bones
DNA, Ancient/analysis
Europe/ethnology
Female
Gene Flow
Genetics, Population
Genome/*genetics
Genomics
Humans
Hypochlorous Acid
Male
Neanderthals/*classification/*genetics
*Phylogeny
Siberia/ethnology
Tooth

@article {pmid30104352,
year = {2018},
author = {George, RJ and Plog, S and Watson, AS and Schmidt, KL and Culleton, BJ and Harper, TK and Gilman, PA and LeBlanc, SA and Amato, G and Whiteley, P and Kistler, L and Kennett, DJ},
title = {Archaeogenomic evidence from the southwestern US points to a Pre-Hispanic scarlet macaw breeding colony.},
journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1073/pnas.1805856115},
pmid = {30104352},
issn = {1091-6490},
abstract = {Hundreds of scarlet macaw (Ara macao cyanoptera) skeletons have been recovered from archaeological contexts in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico (SW/NW). The location of these skeletons, >1,000 km outside their Neotropical endemic range, has suggested a far-reaching Pre-Hispanic acquisition network. Clear evidence for scarlet macaw breeding within this network is only known from the settlement of Paquimé in NW dating between 1250 and 1450 CE. Although some scholars have speculated on the probable existence of earlier breeding centers in the SW/NW region, there has been no supporting evidence. In this study, we performed an ancient DNA analysis of scarlet macaws recovered from archaeological sites in Chaco Canyon and the contemporaneous Mimbres area of New Mexico. All samples were directly radiocarbon dated between 900 and 1200 CE. We reconstructed complete or near-complete mitochondrial genome sequences of 14 scarlet macaws from five different sites. We observed remarkably low genetic diversity in this sample, consistent with breeding of a small founder population translocated outside their natural range. Phylogeographic comparisons of our ancient DNA mitogenomes with mitochondrial sequences from macaws collected during the last 200 years from their endemic Neotropical range identified genetic affinity between the ancient macaws and a single rare haplogroup (Haplo6) observed only among wild macaws in Mexico and northern Guatemala. Our results suggest that people at an undiscovered Pre-Hispanic settlement dating between 900 and 1200 CE managed a macaw breeding colony outside their endemic range and distributed these symbolically important birds through the SW.},
}

@article {pmid30101195,
year = {2018},
author = {Potter, BA and Baichtal, JF and Beaudoin, AB and Fehren-Schmitz, L and Haynes, CV and Holliday, VT and Holmes, CE and Ives, JW and Kelly, RL and Llamas, B and Malhi, RS and Miller, DS and Reich, D and Reuther, JD and Schiffels, S and Surovell, TA},
title = {Current evidence allows multiple models for the peopling of the Americas.},
journal = {Science advances},
volume = {4},
number = {8},
pages = {eaat5473},
doi = {10.1126/sciadv.aat5473},
pmid = {30101195},
issn = {2375-2548},
abstract = {Some recent academic and popular literature implies that the problem of the colonization of the Americas has been largely resolved in favor of one specific model: a Pacific coastal migration, dependent on high marine productivity, from the Bering Strait to South America, thousands of years before Clovis, the earliest widespread cultural manifestation south of the glacial ice. Speculations on maritime adaptations and typological links (stemmed points) across thousands of kilometers have also been advanced. A review of the current genetic, archeological, and paleoecological evidence indicates that ancestral Native American population expansion occurred after 16,000 years ago, consistent with the archeological record, particularly with the earliest securely dated sites after ~15,000 years ago. These data are largely consistent with either an inland (ice-free corridor) or Pacific coastal routes (or both), but neither can be rejected at present. Systematic archeological and paleoecological investigations, informed by geomorphology, are required to test each hypothesis.},
}

@article {pmid30099804,
year = {2018},
author = {Iliescu, FM and Chaplin, G and Rai, N and Jacobs, GS and Basu Mallick, C and Mishra, A and Thangaraj, K and Jablonski, NG},
title = {The influences of genes, the environment, and social factors on the evolution of skin color diversity in India.},
journal = {American journal of human biology : the official journal of the Human Biology Council},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1002/ajhb.23170},
pmid = {30099804},
issn = {1520-6300},
abstract = {OBJECTIVES: Skin color is a highly visible and variable trait across human populations. It is not yet clear how evolutionary forces interact to generate phenotypic diversity. Here, we sought to unravel through an integrative framework the role played by three factors-demography and migration, sexual selection, and natural selection-in driving skin color diversity in India.

METHODS: Skin reflectance data were collected from 10 diverse socio-cultural populations along the latitudinal expanse of India, including both sexes. We first looked at how skin color varies within and between these populations. Second, we compared patterns of sexual dimorphism in skin color. Third, we studied the influence of ultraviolet radiation on skin color throughout India. Finally, we attempted to disentangle the interactions between these factors in the context of available genetic data.

RESULTS: We found that the relative importance of these forces varied between populations. Social factors and population structure have played a stronger role than natural selection in shaping skin color diversity across India. Phenotypic overprinting resulted from additional genetic mutations overriding the skin lightening effect of variants such as the SLC24A5 rs1426654-A allele in some populations, in the context of the variable influence of sexual selection. Furthermore, specific genotypes are not associated reliably with specific skin color phenotypes. This result has relevance for DNA forensics and ancient DNA research.

CONCLUSIONS: India is a crucible of macro- and micro-evolutionary forces, and the complex interactions of physical and social forces are visible in the patterns of skin color seen today in the country.},
}

@article {pmid29853688,
year = {2018},
author = {Ebenesersdóttir, SS and Sandoval-Velasco, M and Gunnarsdóttir, ED and Jagadeesan, A and Guðmundsdóttir, VB and Thordardóttir, EL and Einarsdóttir, MS and Moore, KHS and Sigurðsson, Á and Magnúsdóttir, DN and Jónsson, H and Snorradóttir, S and Hovig, E and Møller, P and Kockum, I and Olsson, T and Alfredsson, L and Hansen, TF and Werge, T and Cavalleri, GL and Gilbert, E and Lalueza-Fox, C and Walser, JW and Kristjánsdóttir, S and Gopalakrishnan, S and Árnadóttir, L and Magnússon, ÓÞ and Gilbert, MTP and Stefánsson, K and Helgason, A},
title = {Ancient genomes from Iceland reveal the making of a human population.},
journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
volume = {360},
number = {6392},
pages = {1028-1032},
doi = {10.1126/science.aar2625},
pmid = {29853688},
issn = {1095-9203},
mesh = {*Biological Evolution ; DNA, Ancient ; Female ; Founder Effect ; Gene Pool ; *Genetic Drift ; *Genome, Human ; Genotype ; Humans ; Iceland ; Male ; Phenotype ; Population/*genetics ; },
abstract = {Opportunities to directly study the founding of a human population and its subsequent evolutionary history are rare. Using genome sequence data from 27 ancient Icelanders, we demonstrate that they are a combination of Norse, Gaelic, and admixed individuals. We further show that these ancient Icelanders are markedly more similar to their source populations in Scandinavia and the British-Irish Isles than to contemporary Icelanders, who have been shaped by 1100 years of extensive genetic drift. Finally, we report evidence of unequal contributions from the ancient founders to the contemporary Icelandic gene pool. These results provide detailed insights into the making of a human population that has proven extraordinarily useful for the discovery of genotype-phenotype associations.},
}

*Biological Evolution
DNA, Ancient
Female
Founder Effect
Gene Pool
*Genetic Drift
*Genome, Human
Genotype
Humans
Iceland
Male
Phenotype
Population/*genetics

@article {pmid30089624,
year = {2018},
author = {Star, B and Barrett, JH and Gondek, AT and Boessenkool, S},
title = {Ancient DNA reveals the chronology of walrus ivory trade from Norse Greenland.},
journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences},
volume = {285},
number = {1884},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1098/rspb.2018.0978},
pmid = {30089624},
issn = {1471-2954},
abstract = {The importance of the Atlantic walrus ivory trade for the colonization, peak, and collapse of the medieval Norse colonies on Greenland has been extensively debated. Nevertheless, no studies have directly traced medieval European ivory back to distinct Arctic populations of walrus. Analysing the entire mitogenomes of 37 archaeological specimens from Europe, Svalbard, and Greenland, we here discover that Atlantic walrus comprises two monophyletic mitochondrial (MT) clades, which diverged between 23 400 and 251 120 years ago. Our improved genomic resolution allows us to reinterpret the geographical distribution of partial MT data from 306 modern and nineteenth-century specimens, finding that one of these clades was exclusively accessible to Greenlanders. With this discovery, we ascertain the biological origin of 23 archaeological specimens from Europe (most dated between 900 and 1400 CE). These results reveal a significant shift in trade from an early, predominantly eastern source towards a near exclusive representation of Greenland ivory. Our study provides empirical evidence for how this remote Arctic resource was progressively integrated into a medieval pan-European trade network, contributing to both the resilience and vulnerability of Norse Greenland society.},
}

@article {pmid30082377,
year = {2018},
author = {O'Connell, JF and Allen, J and Williams, MAJ and Williams, AN and Turney, CSM and Spooner, NA and Kamminga, J and Brown, G and Cooper, A},
title = {When did Homo sapiens first reach Southeast Asia and Sahul?.},
journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1073/pnas.1808385115},
pmid = {30082377},
issn = {1091-6490},
abstract = {Anatomically modern humans (Homo sapiens, AMH) began spreading across Eurasia from Africa and adjacent Southwest Asia about 50,000-55,000 years ago (ca 50-55 ka). Some have argued that human genetic, fossil, and archaeological data indicate one or more prior dispersals, possibly as early as 120 ka. A recently reported age estimate of 65 ka for Madjedbebe, an archaeological site in northern Sahul (Pleistocene Australia-New Guinea), if correct, offers what might be the strongest support yet presented for a pre-55-ka African AMH exodus. We review evidence for AMH arrival on an arc spanning South China through Sahul and then evaluate data from Madjedbebe. We find that an age estimate of >50 ka for this site is unlikely to be valid. While AMH may have moved far beyond Africa well before 50-55 ka, data from the region of interest offered in support of this idea are not compelling.},
}

@article {pmid30079081,
year = {2018},
author = {Shriner, D},
title = {Re-analysis of Whole Genome Sequence Data From 279 Ancient Eurasians Reveals Substantial Ancestral Heterogeneity.},
journal = {Frontiers in genetics},
volume = {9},
number = {},
pages = {268},
doi = {10.3389/fgene.2018.00268},
pmid = {30079081},
issn = {1664-8021},
abstract = {Supervised clustering or projection analysis is a staple technique in population genetic analysis. The utility of this technique depends critically on the reference panel. The most commonly used reference panel in the analysis of ancient DNA to date is based on the Human Origins array. We previously described a larger reference panel that captures more ancestries on the global level. Here, I reanalyzed DNA data from 279 ancient Eurasians using our reference panel. I found substantially more ancestral heterogeneity than has been reported. Reanalysis provides evidence against a resurgence of Western hunter-gatherer ancestry in the Middle to Late Neolithic and evidence for a common ancestor of farmers characterized by Western Asian ancestry, a transition of the spread of agriculture from demic to cultural diffusion, at least two migrations between the Pontic-Caspian steppes and Bronze Age Europe, and a sub-Saharan African component in Natufians that localizes to present-day southern Ethiopia.},
}

@article {pmid30076235,
year = {2018},
author = {Park, SW and Dushoff, J and Earn, DJD and Poinar, H and Bolker, BM},
title = {Human ectoparasite transmission of the plague during the Second Pandemic is only weakly supported by proposed mathematical models.},
journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1073/pnas.1809775115},
pmid = {30076235},
issn = {1091-6490},
}

@article {pmid29976827,
year = {2018},
author = {McColl, H and Racimo, F and Vinner, L and Demeter, F and Gakuhari, T and Moreno-Mayar, JV and van Driem, G and Gram Wilken, U and Seguin-Orlando, A and de la Fuente Castro, C and Wasef, S and Shoocongdej, R and Souksavatdy, V and Sayavongkhamdy, T and Saidin, MM and Allentoft, ME and Sato, T and Malaspinas, AS and Aghakhanian, FA and Korneliussen, T and Prohaska, A and Margaryan, A and de Barros Damgaard, P and Kaewsutthi, S and Lertrit, P and Nguyen, TMH and Hung, HC and Minh Tran, T and Nghia Truong, H and Nguyen, GH and Shahidan, S and Wiradnyana, K and Matsumae, H and Shigehara, N and Yoneda, M and Ishida, H and Masuyama, T and Yamada, Y and Tajima, A and Shibata, H and Toyoda, A and Hanihara, T and Nakagome, S and Deviese, T and Bacon, AM and Duringer, P and Ponche, JL and Shackelford, L and Patole-Edoumba, E and Nguyen, AT and Bellina-Pryce, B and Galipaud, JC and Kinaston, R and Buckley, H and Pottier, C and Rasmussen, S and Higham, T and Foley, RA and Lahr, MM and Orlando, L and Sikora, M and Phipps, ME and Oota, H and Higham, C and Lambert, DM and Willerslev, E},
title = {The prehistoric peopling of Southeast Asia.},
journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
volume = {361},
number = {6397},
pages = {88-92},
doi = {10.1126/science.aat3628},
pmid = {29976827},
issn = {1095-9203},
mesh = {Asia, Southeastern ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group/genetics ; DNA, Ancient ; Genetic Variation ; *Genome, Human ; History, Ancient ; Human Migration/*history ; Humans ; Population/genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; },
abstract = {The human occupation history of Southeast Asia (SEA) remains heavily debated. Current evidence suggests that SEA was occupied by Hòabìnhian hunter-gatherers until ~4000 years ago, when farming economies developed and expanded, restricting foraging groups to remote habitats. Some argue that agricultural development was indigenous; others favor the "two-layer" hypothesis that posits a southward expansion of farmers giving rise to present-day Southeast Asian genetic diversity. By sequencing 26 ancient human genomes (25 from SEA, 1 Japanese Jōmon), we show that neither interpretation fits the complexity of Southeast Asian history: Both Hòabìnhian hunter-gatherers and East Asian farmers contributed to current Southeast Asian diversity, with further migrations affecting island SEA and Vietnam. Our results help resolve one of the long-standing controversies in Southeast Asian prehistory.},
}

Asia, Southeastern
Asian Continental Ancestry Group/genetics
DNA, Ancient
Genetic Variation
*Genome, Human
History, Ancient
Human Migration/*history
Humans
Population/genetics
Sequence Analysis, DNA

@article {pmid29976826,
year = {2018},
author = {Daly, KG and Maisano Delser, P and Mullin, VE and Scheu, A and Mattiangeli, V and Teasdale, MD and Hare, AJ and Burger, J and Verdugo, MP and Collins, MJ and Kehati, R and Erek, CM and Bar-Oz, G and Pompanon, F and Cumer, T and Çakırlar, C and Mohaseb, AF and Decruyenaere, D and Davoudi, H and Çevik, Ö and Rollefson, G and Vigne, JD and Khazaeli, R and Fathi, H and Doost, SB and Rahimi Sorkhani, R and Vahdati, AA and Sauer, EW and Azizi Kharanaghi, H and Maziar, S and Gasparian, B and Pinhasi, R and Martin, L and Orton, D and Arbuckle, BS and Benecke, N and Manica, A and Horwitz, LK and Mashkour, M and Bradley, DG},
title = {Ancient goat genomes reveal mosaic domestication in the Fertile Crescent.},
journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
volume = {361},
number = {6397},
pages = {85-88},
doi = {10.1126/science.aas9411},
pmid = {29976826},
issn = {1095-9203},
mesh = {Africa ; Animals ; Animals, Domestic/classification/genetics ; Asia ; DNA, Ancient ; DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics ; *Domestication ; Europe ; Follistatin/genetics ; Genetic Variation ; Genome ; Goats/classification/*genetics ; *Mosaicism ; Phylogeny ; },
abstract = {Current genetic data are equivocal as to whether goat domestication occurred multiple times or was a singular process. We generated genomic data from 83 ancient goats (51 with genome-wide coverage) from Paleolithic to Medieval contexts throughout the Near East. Our findings demonstrate that multiple divergent ancient wild goat sources were domesticated in a dispersed process that resulted in genetically and geographically distinct Neolithic goat populations, echoing contemporaneous human divergence across the region. These early goat populations contributed differently to modern goats in Asia, Africa, and Europe. We also detect early selection for pigmentation, stature, reproduction, milking, and response to dietary change, providing 8000-year-old evidence for human agency in molding genome variation within a partner species.},
}

Africa
Animals
Animals, Domestic/classification/genetics
Asia
DNA, Ancient
DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics
*Domestication
Europe
Follistatin/genetics
Genetic Variation
Genome
Goats/classification/*genetics
*Mosaicism
Phylogeny

@article {pmid30065103,
year = {2018},
author = {Larmuseau, MHD and Bodner, M},
title = {The biological relevance of a medieval king's DNA.},
journal = {Biochemical Society transactions},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1042/BST20170173},
pmid = {30065103},
issn = {1470-8752},
abstract = {The discovery of the presumably lost grave of the controversial English king Richard III in Leicester (U.K.) was one of the most important archaeological achievements of the last decennium. The skeleton was identified beyond reasonable doubt, mainly by the match of mitochondrial DNA to that of living maternal relatives, along with the specific archaeological context. Since the genetic genealogical analysis only involved the DNA sequences of a single 15th century individual and a few reference persons, biologists might consider this investigation a mere curiosity. This mini-review shows that the unique context of a historical king's DNA also has relevance for biological research per se - in addition to the more obvious historical, societal and educational value. In the first place, the historical identification appeared to be a renewed forensic case realising a conservative statement with statistical power based on genetic and non-genetic data, including discordant elements. Secondly, the observation of historical non-paternity events within Richard III's patrilineage has given rise to new research questions about potential factors influencing the extra-pair paternity rate in humans and the importance of biological relatedness for the legal recognition of a child in the past. Thirdly, the identification of a named and dated skeleton with the known historical context serves as a reference for bioarchaeological investigations and studies on the spatio-temporal distribution of particular genetic variance. Finally, the Richard III case revealed privacy issues for living relatives which appear to be inherent to any publication of genetic genealogical data.},
}

@article {pmid30053542,
year = {2018},
author = {Leles, D and Cascardo, P and Pucu, E and Brener, B and Sudré, A and Alves, E and Uchoa, F and Fajardo, P and Millar, P and Mattos, D and Chame, M and Cartelle, C},
title = {Methodological innovations for the study of irreplaceable samples reveal giardiasis in extinct animals (Nothrotherium maquinense and Palaeolama maior).},
journal = {Parasitology international},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1016/j.parint.2018.07.011},
pmid = {30053542},
issn = {1873-0329},
abstract = {The use of diagnostic methods that prevent irreplaceable samples (from museum collections, archaeological and paleontological samples) of being consumed or that increase their yield is relevant. For museum collections, archaeological and paleontological samples it is essential to conserve samples, subsamples or portions for future research. We are addressing methods for conservation of irreplaceable samples that could be fully consumed. Innovations in methodologies that are used in studies of Paleoparasitology and Paleomicrobiology will contribute to the preservation of collections. Therefore, to the development of archaeology and paleontology in the future, we evaluated whether the discarded material of the immunochromatography test could be used for molecular diagnosis and vice versa. We used a genotyped experimental coprolite positive for Giardia duodenalis. The diagnosis was positive for giardiasis in both cases. This methodology can be corroborated with the coprolite of a Paleolama maior (extinct llama) previously diagnosed for G. duodenalis with an immunoenzymatic test. The residue of the pre-digestion step of the DNA extraction before adding Proteinase K was confirmed positive with the immunochromatographic test. Also, the DNA extraction residue from a coprolite of Nothrotherium maquinense (ground sloth) was tested positive with immunochromatographic test for G. duodenalis. These are the oldest findings for G. duodenalis confirming that this intestinal parasite occurred among Northeastern Brazilian Megafauna animals from the late Pleistocene period, correlated to human occupation. The relevance of these results will allow the study by different methodological approaches from a small amount of material, reusing discarded materials.},
}

@article {pmid30051821,
year = {2018},
author = {Rodrigues, ASL and Charpentier, A and Bernal-Casasola, D and Gardeisen, A and Nores, C and Pis Millán, JA and McGrath, K and Speller, CF},
title = {Forgotten Mediterranean calving grounds of grey and North Atlantic right whales: evidence from Roman archaeological records.},
journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences},
volume = {285},
number = {1882},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1098/rspb.2018.0961},
pmid = {30051821},
issn = {1471-2954},
abstract = {Right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) were extirpated from the eastern North Atlantic by commercial whaling. Grey whales (Eschrichtius robustus) disappeared from the entire North Atlantic in still-mysterious circumstances. Here, we test the hypotheses that both species previously occurred in the Mediterranean Sea, an area not currently considered part of their historical range. We used ancient DNA barcoding and collagen fingerprinting methods to taxonomically identify a rare set of 10 presumed whale bones from Roman and pre-Roman archaeological sites in the Strait of Gibraltar region, plus an additional bone from the Asturian coast. We identified three right whales, and three grey whales, demonstrating that the ranges of both of these species historically encompassed the Gibraltar region, probably including the Mediterranean Sea as calving grounds. Our results significantly extend the known range of the Atlantic grey whale, and suggest that 2000 years ago, right and grey whales were common when compared with other whale species. The disappearance of right and grey whales from the Mediterranean region is likely to have been accompanied by broader ecosystem impacts, including the disappearance of their predators (killer whales) and a reduction in marine primary productivity. The evidence that these two coastal and highly accessible species were present along the shores of the Roman Empire raises the hypothesis that they may have formed the basis of a forgotten whaling industry.},
}

@article {pmid30002235,
year = {2018},
author = {Pennisi, E and Price, M},
title = {Molecular 'barcodes' reveal lost whale hunts.},
journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
volume = {361},
number = {6398},
pages = {119},
doi = {10.1126/science.361.6398.119},
pmid = {30002235},
issn = {1095-9203},
mesh = {Animals ; *Biodiversity ; Bone and Bones ; *DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; DNA, Ancient ; Phylogeny ; Whales/*classification/*genetics ; },
}

Animals
*Biodiversity
Bone and Bones
*DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic
DNA, Ancient
Phylogeny
Whales/*classification/*genetics

@article {pmid30047322,
year = {2017},
author = {Long, J},
title = {Who We Are and How We Got Here: Ancient DNA and the New Science of the Human Past, by David Reich.},
journal = {Human biology},
volume = {89},
number = {4},
pages = {303-304},
pmid = {30047322},
issn = {1534-6617},
}

@article {pmid30037043,
year = {2018},
author = {Honka, J and Heino, MT and Kvist, L and Askeyev, IV and Shaymuratova, DN and Askeyev, OV and Askeyev, AO and Heikkinen, ME and Searle, JB and Aspi, J},
title = {Over a Thousand Years of Evolutionary History of Domestic Geese from Russian Archaeological Sites, Analysed Using Ancient DNA.},
journal = {Genes},
volume = {9},
number = {7},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/genes9070367},
pmid = {30037043},
issn = {2073-4425},
abstract = {The European domestic goose is a widely farmed species known to have descended from the wild greylag goose (Anser anser). However, the evolutionary history of this domesticate is still poorly known. Ancient DNA studies have been useful for many species, but there has been little such work on geese. We have studied temporal genetic variation among domestic goose specimens excavated from Russian archaeological sites (4th⁻18th centuries) using a 204 base pair fragment of the mitochondrial control region. Specimens fell into three different genetic clades: the domestic D-haplogroup, the F-haplogroup that includes both wild and domestic geese, and a clade comprising another species, the taiga bean goose. Most of the subfossil geese carried typical domestic D-haplotypes. The domestication status of the geese carrying F-haplotypes is less certain, as the haplotypes identified were not present among modern domestic geese and could represent wild geese (misclassified as domestics), introgression from wild geese, or local domestication events. The bones of taiga bean goose were most probably misidentified as domestic goose but the domestication of bean goose or hybridization with domestic goose is also possible. Samples from the 4th to 10th century were clearly differentiated from the later time periods due to a haplotype that was found only in this early period, but otherwise no temporal or geographical variation in haplotype frequencies was apparent.},
}

@article {pmid30035382,
year = {2018},
author = {Kisand, V and Talas, L and Kisand, A and Stivrins, N and Reitalu, T and Alliksaar, T and Vassiljev, J and Liiv, M and Heinsalu, A and Seppä, H and Veski, S},
title = {From microbial eukaryotes to metazoan vertebrates: Wide spectrum paleo-diversity in sedimentary ancient DNA over the last ~14,500 years.},
journal = {Geobiology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1111/gbi.12307},
pmid = {30035382},
issn = {1472-4669},
abstract = {Most studies that utilize ancient DNA have focused on specific groups of organisms or even single species. Instead, the whole biodiversity of eukaryotes can be described using universal phylogenetic marker genes found within well-preserved sediment cores that cover the post-glacial period. Sedimentary ancient DNA samples from Lake Lielais Svētiņu, eastern Latvia, at a core depth of 1,050 cm in ~150 year intervals were used to determine phylotaxonomy in domain Eukaryota. Phylotaxonomic affiliation of >1,200 eukaryotic phylotypes revealed high richness in all major eukaryotic groups-Alveolata, Stramenopiles, Cercozoa, Chlorophyta, Charophyta, Nucletmycea, and Holozoa. The share of organisms that originate from terrestrial ecosystems was about one third, of which the most abundant molecular operational taxonomic units were Fungi and tracheal/vascular plants, which demonstrates the usefulness of using lake sediments to reconstruct the terrestrial paleoecosystems that surround them. Phylotypes that originate from the lake ecosystem belonged to various planktonic organisms; phyto-, proto,- and macrozooplankton, and vascular aquatic plants. We observed greater richness of several planktonic organisms that can be associated with higher trophic status during the warm climate period between 4,000 and 8,000 years ago and an increase in eukaryotic richness possibly associated with moderate human impact over the last 2,000 years.},
}

@article {pmid30035235,
year = {2018},
author = {Velsko, IM and Frantz, LAF and Herbig, A and Larson, G and Warinner, C},
title = {Selection of Appropriate Metagenome Taxonomic Classifiers for Ancient Microbiome Research.},
journal = {mSystems},
volume = {3},
number = {4},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1128/mSystems.00080-18},
pmid = {30035235},
issn = {2379-5077},
abstract = {Metagenomics enables the study of complex microbial communities from myriad sources, including the remains of oral and gut microbiota preserved in archaeological dental calculus and paleofeces, respectively. While accurate taxonomic assignment is essential to this process, DNA damage characteristic of ancient samples (e.g., reduction in fragment size and cytosine deamination) may reduce the accuracy of read taxonomic assignment. Using a set of in silico-generated metagenomic data sets, we investigated how the addition of ancient DNA (aDNA) damage patterns influences microbial taxonomic assignment by five widely used profilers: QIIME/UCLUST, MetaPhlAn2, MIDAS, CLARK-S, and MALT. In silico-generated data sets were designed to mimic dental plaque, consisting of 40, 100, and 200 microbial species/strains, both with and without simulated aDNA damage patterns. Following taxonomic assignment, the profiles were evaluated for species presence/absence, relative abundance, alpha diversity, beta diversity, and specific taxonomic assignment biases. Unifrac metrics indicated that both MIDAS and MetaPhlAn2 reconstructed the most accurate community structure. QIIME/UCLUST, CLARK-S, and MALT had the highest number of inaccurate taxonomic assignments; false-positive rates were highest by CLARK-S and QIIME/UCLUST. Filtering out species present at <0.1% abundance greatly increased the accuracy of CLARK-S and MALT. All programs except CLARK-S failed to detect some species from the input file that were in their databases. The addition of ancient DNA damage resulted in minimal differences in species detection and relative abundance between simulated ancient and modern data sets for most programs. Overall, taxonomic profiling biases are program specific rather than damage dependent, and the choice of taxonomic classification program should be tailored to specific research questions. IMPORTANCE Ancient biomolecules from oral and gut microbiome samples have been shown to be preserved in the archaeological record. Studying ancient microbiome communities using metagenomic techniques offers a unique opportunity to reconstruct the evolutionary trajectories of microbial communities through time. DNA accumulates specific damage over time, which could potentially affect taxonomic classification and our ability to accurately reconstruct community assemblages. It is therefore necessary to assess whether ancient DNA (aDNA) damage patterns affect metagenomic taxonomic profiling. Here, we assessed biases in community structure, diversity, species detection, and relative abundance estimates by five popular metagenomic taxonomic classification programs using in silico-generated data sets with and without aDNA damage. Damage patterns had minimal impact on the taxonomic profiles produced by each program, while false-positive rates and biases were intrinsic to each program. Therefore, the most appropriate classification program is one that minimizes the biases related to the questions being addressed.},
}

@article {pmid30033331,
year = {2018},
author = {Zhou, Z and Lundstrøm, I and Tran-Dien, A and Duchêne, S and Alikhan, NF and Sergeant, MJ and Langridge, G and Fotakis, AK and Nair, S and Stenøien, HK and Hamre, SS and Casjens, S and Christophersen, A and Quince, C and Thomson, NR and Weill, FX and Ho, SYW and Gilbert, MTP and Achtman, M},
title = {Pan-genome Analysis of Ancient and Modern Salmonella enterica Demonstrates Genomic Stability of the Invasive Para C Lineage for Millennia.},
journal = {Current biology : CB},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2018.05.058},
pmid = {30033331},
issn = {1879-0445},
abstract = {Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi C causes enteric (paratyphoid) fever in humans. Its presentation can range from asymptomatic infections of the blood stream to gastrointestinal or urinary tract infection or even a fatal septicemia [1]. Paratyphi C is very rare in Europe and North America except for occasional travelers from South and East Asia or Africa, where the disease is more common [2, 3]. However, early 20th-century observations in Eastern Europe [3, 4] suggest that Paratyphi C enteric fever may once have had a wide-ranging impact on human societies. Here, we describe a draft Paratyphi C genome (Ragna) recovered from the 800-year-old skeleton (SK152) of a young woman in Trondheim, Norway. Paratyphi C sequences were recovered from her teeth and bones, suggesting that she died of enteric fever and demonstrating that these bacteria have long caused invasive salmonellosis in Europeans. Comparative analyses against modern Salmonella genome sequences revealed that Paratyphi C is a clade within the Para C lineage, which also includes serovars Choleraesuis, Typhisuis, and Lomita. Although Paratyphi C only infects humans, Choleraesuis causes septicemia in pigs and boar [5] (and occasionally humans), and Typhisuis causes epidemic swine salmonellosis (chronic paratyphoid) in domestic pigs [2, 3]. These different host specificities likely evolved in Europe over the last ∼4,000 years since the time of their most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) and are possibly associated with the differential acquisitions of two genomic islands, SPI-6 and SPI-7. The tMRCAs of these bacterial clades coincide with the timing of pig domestication in Europe [6].},
}

@article {pmid30027753,
year = {2018},
author = {Palomo-Díez, S and Esparza Arroyo, Á and Tirado-Vizcaíno, M and Velasco Vázquez, J and López-Parra, AM and Gomes, C and Baeza-Richer, C and Arroyo-Pardo, E},
title = {Kinship analysis and allelic dropout: a forensic approach on an archaeological case.},
journal = {Annals of human biology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {1-4},
doi = {10.1080/03014460.2018.1484159},
pmid = {30027753},
issn = {1464-5033},
abstract = {BACKGROUND: This study relies on the discovery of two pit burials (LTA and LTB) of the Bronze Age Cogotas I archaeological culture (circa 3600-2950 BP) in Spain. LTA was a single burial and LTB contained three skeletal remains of two adults and a newborn or foetus at term.

AIM: The central question posed by this find was whether the LTB tomb constituted a traditional nuclear family (father, mother and son or daughter).

METHODS: Ancient and forensic DNA protocols were employed to obtain reliable results. Autosomal, X-STR markers and mitochondrial DNA were amplified. Subsequently, different kinship probabilities were estimated by means of LR values calculated using the Familias 3 software. Furthermore, an allelic dropout sensitivity test was developed in order to evaluate the influence of allelic dropout phenomena on the results.

RESULTS: It was possible to determine the molecular sex of all individuals and to establish a maternal relationship between the perinatal individual and one of the adults.

CONCLUSION: The remains in the LTB tomb were not a traditional nuclear family (father, mother and son/daughter) and it was probably a tomb where two women, one of them pregnant, were buried.},
}

@article {pmid30017480,
year = {2018},
author = {Maixner, F and Turaev, D and Cazenave-Gassiot, A and Janko, M and Krause-Kyora, B and Hoopmann, MR and Kusebauch, U and Sartain, M and Guerriero, G and O'Sullivan, N and Teasdale, M and Cipollini, G and Paladin, A and Mattiangeli, V and Samadelli, M and Tecchiati, U and Putzer, A and Palazoglu, M and Meissen, J and Lösch, S and Rausch, P and Baines, JF and Kim, BJ and An, HJ and Gostner, P and Egarter-Vigl, E and Malfertheiner, P and Keller, A and Stark, RW and Wenk, M and Bishop, D and Bradley, DG and Fiehn, O and Engstrand, L and Moritz, RL and Doble, P and Franke, A and Nebel, A and Oeggl, K and Rattei, T and Grimm, R and Zink, A},
title = {The Iceman's Last Meal Consisted of Fat, Wild Meat, and Cereals.},
journal = {Current biology : CB},
volume = {28},
number = {14},
pages = {2348-2355.e9},
doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2018.05.067},
pmid = {30017480},
issn = {1879-0445},
abstract = {The history of humankind is marked by the constant adoption of new dietary habits affecting human physiology, metabolism, and even the development of nutrition-related disorders. Despite clear archaeological evidence for the shift from hunter-gatherer lifestyle to agriculture in Neolithic Europe [1], very little information exists on the daily dietary habits of our ancestors. By undertaking a complementary -omics approach combined with microscopy, we analyzed the stomach content of the Iceman, a 5,300-year-old European glacier mummy [2, 3]. He seems to have had a remarkably high proportion of fat in his diet, supplemented with fresh or dried wild meat, cereals, and traces of toxic bracken. Our multipronged approach provides unprecedented analytical depth, deciphering the nutritional habit, meal composition, and food-processing methods of this Copper Age individual.},
}

@article {pmid29993816,
year = {2018},
author = {Luhmann, N and Chauve, C and Stoye, J and Wittler, R},
title = {Scaffolding of Ancient Contigs and Ancestral Reconstruction in a Phylogenetic Framework.},
journal = {IEEE/ACM transactions on computational biology and bioinformatics},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1109/TCBB.2018.2816034},
pmid = {29993816},
issn = {1557-9964},
abstract = {Ancestral genome reconstruction is an important task to analyze the evolution of genomes. Recent progress in sequencing ancient DNA led to the publication of so-called paleogenomes and allows the integration of this sequencing data in genome evolution analysis. However, the de novo assembly of ancient genomes is usually fragmented due to DNA degradation over time among others. Integrated phylogenetic assembly addresses the issue of genome fragmentation in the ancient DNA assembly while aiming to improve the reconstruction of all ancient genomes in the phylogeny simultaneously. The fragmented assembly of the ancient genome can be represented as an assembly graph, indicating contradicting ordering information of contigs. In this setting, our approach is to compare the ancient data with extant finished genomes. We generalize a reconstruction approach minimizing the Single-Cut-or-Join rearrangement distance towards multifurcating trees and include edge lengths to improve the reconstruction in practice. This results in a polynomial time algorithm that includes additional ancient DNA data at one node in the tree, resulting in consistent reconstructions of ancestral genomes.},
}

@article {pmid29987016,
year = {2018},
author = {Seersholm, FV and Cole, TL and Grealy, A and Rawlence, NJ and Greig, K and Knapp, M and Stat, M and Hansen, AJ and Easton, LJ and Shepherd, L and Tennyson, AJD and Scofield, RP and Walter, R and Bunce, M},
title = {Subsistence practices, past biodiversity, and anthropogenic impacts revealed by New Zealand-wide ancient DNA survey.},
journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
volume = {115},
number = {30},
pages = {7771-7776},
doi = {10.1073/pnas.1803573115},
pmid = {29987016},
issn = {1091-6490},
abstract = {New Zealand's geographic isolation, lack of native terrestrial mammals, and Gondwanan origins make it an ideal location to study evolutionary processes. However, since the archipelago was first settled by humans 750 y ago, its unique biodiversity has been under pressure, and today an estimated 49% of the terrestrial avifauna is extinct. Current efforts to conserve the remaining fauna rely on a better understanding of the composition of past ecosystems, as well as the causes and timing of past extinctions. The exact temporal and spatial dynamics of New Zealand's extinct fauna, however, can be difficult to interpret, as only a small proportion of animals are preserved as morphologically identifiable fossils. Here, we conduct a large-scale genetic survey of subfossil bone assemblages to elucidate the impact of humans on the environment in New Zealand. By genetically identifying more than 5,000 nondiagnostic bone fragments from archaeological and paleontological sites, we reconstruct a rich faunal record of 110 species of birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and marine mammals. We report evidence of five whale species rarely reported from New Zealand archaeological middens and characterize extinct lineages of leiopelmatid frog (Leiopelma sp.) and kākāpō (Strigops habroptilus) haplotypes lost from the gene pool. Taken together, this molecular audit of New Zealand's subfossil record not only contributes to our understanding of past biodiversity and precontact Māori subsistence practices but also provides a more nuanced snapshot of anthropogenic impacts on native fauna after first human arrival.},
}

@article {pmid29977605,
year = {2018},
author = {Larsen, BB and Cole, KL and Worobey, M},
title = {Ancient DNA provides evidence of 27,000-year-old papillomavirus infection and long-term codivergence with rodents.},
journal = {Virus evolution},
volume = {4},
number = {1},
pages = {vey014},
doi = {10.1093/ve/vey014},
pmid = {29977605},
issn = {2057-1577},
abstract = {The long-term evolutionary history of many viral lineages is poorly understood. Novel sources of ancient DNA combined with phylogenetic analyses can provide insight into the time scale of virus evolution. Here we report viral sequences from ancient North American packrat middens. We screened samples up to 27,000-years old and found evidence of papillomavirus (PV) infection in Neotoma cinerea (Bushy-tailed packrat). Phylogenetic analysis placed the PV sequences in a clade with other previously published PV sequences isolated from rodents. Concordance between the host and virus tree topologies along with a correlation in branch lengths suggests a shared evolutionary history between rodents and PVs. Based on host divergence times, PVs have likely been circulating in rodents for at least 17 million years. These results have implications for our understanding of PV evolution and for further research with ancient DNA from Neotoma middens.},
}

@article {pmid29976814,
year = {2018},
author = {Bellwood, P},
title = {The search for ancient DNA heads east.},
journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
volume = {361},
number = {6397},
pages = {31-32},
doi = {10.1126/science.aat8662},
pmid = {29976814},
issn = {1095-9203},
mesh = {*DNA, Ancient ; *DNA, Mitochondrial ; History, Ancient ; Phylogeny ; },
}

*DNA, Ancient
*DNA, Mitochondrial
History, Ancient
Phylogeny

@article {pmid29967156,
year = {2018},
author = {Mühlemann, B and Margaryan, A and Damgaard, PB and Allentoft, ME and Vinner, L and Hansen, AJ and Weber, A and Bazaliiskii, VI and Molak, M and Arneborg, J and Bogdanowicz, W and Falys, C and Sablin, M and Smrčka, V and Sten, S and Tashbaeva, K and Lynnerup, N and Sikora, M and Smith, DJ and Fouchier, RAM and Drosten, C and Sjögren, KG and Kristiansen, K and Willerslev, E and Jones, TC},
title = {Ancient human parvovirus B19 in Eurasia reveals its long-term association with humans.},
journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
volume = {115},
number = {29},
pages = {7557-7562},
doi = {10.1073/pnas.1804921115},
pmid = {29967156},
issn = {1091-6490},
abstract = {Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) is a ubiquitous human pathogen associated with a number of conditions, such as fifth disease in children and arthritis and arthralgias in adults. B19V is thought to evolve exceptionally rapidly among DNA viruses, with substitution rates previously estimated to be closer to those typical of RNA viruses. On the basis of genetic sequences up to ∼70 years of age, the most recent common ancestor of all B19V has been dated to the early 1800s, and it has been suggested that genotype 1, the most common B19V genotype, only started circulating in the 1960s. Here we present 10 genomes (63.9-99.7% genome coverage) of B19V from dental and skeletal remains of individuals who lived in Eurasia and Greenland from ∼0.5 to ∼6.9 thousand years ago (kya). In a phylogenetic analysis, five of the ancient B19V sequences fall within or basal to the modern genotype 1, and five fall basal to genotype 2, showing a long-term association of B19V with humans. The most recent common ancestor of all B19V is placed ∼12.6 kya, and we find a substitution rate that is an order of magnitude lower than inferred previously. Further, we are able to date the recombination event between genotypes 1 and 3 that formed genotype 2 to ∼5.0-6.8 kya. This study emphasizes the importance of ancient viral sequences for our understanding of virus evolution and phylogenetics.},
}

@article {pmid29960127,
year = {2018},
author = {Lazaridis, I},
title = {The evolutionary history of human populations in Europe.},
journal = {Current opinion in genetics & development},
volume = {53},
number = {},
pages = {21-27},
doi = {10.1016/j.gde.2018.06.007},
pmid = {29960127},
issn = {1879-0380},
abstract = {I review the evolutionary history of human populations in Europe with an emphasis on what has been learned in recent years through the study of ancient DNA. Human populations in Europe ∼430-39kya (archaic Europeans) included Neandertals and their ancestors, who were genetically differentiated from other archaic Eurasians (such as the Denisovans of Siberia), as well as modern humans. Modern humans arrived to Europe by ∼45kya, and are first genetically attested by ∼39kya when they were still mixing with Neandertals. The first Europeans who were recognizably genetically related to modern ones appeared in the genetic record shortly thereafter at ∼37kya. At ∼15kya a largely homogeneous set of hunter-gatherers became dominant in most of Europe, but with some admixture from Siberian hunter-gatherers in the eastern part of the continent. These hunter-gatherers were joined by migrants from the Near East beginning at ∼8-9kya: Anatolian farmers settled most of mainland Europe, and migrants from the Caucasus reached eastern Europe, forming steppe populations. After ∼5kya there was migration from the steppe into mainland Europe and vice versa. Present-day Europeans (ignoring the long-distance migrations of the modern era) are largely the product of this Bronze Age collision of steppe pastoralists with Neolithic farmers.},
}

@article {pmid29939091,
year = {2018},
author = {Gondek, AT and Boessenkool, S and Star, B},
title = {A stainless-steel mortar, pestle and sleeve design for the efficient fragmentation of ancient bone.},
journal = {BioTechniques},
volume = {64},
number = {6},
pages = {266-269},
doi = {10.2144/btn-2018-0008},
pmid = {29939091},
issn = {1940-9818},
abstract = {Different types of milling equipment - such as oscillating ball mills, freezer mills, mortar and pestle - can be used to fragment ancient bone prior to DNA extraction. However, each of these tools is associated with practical drawbacks. Here, we present the design for a stainless-steel mortar and pestle, with a removable sleeve to contain bone material. The tool is easy to clean, practical and its simplicity allows university workshops equipped with a lathe, boring tools and a milling machine to make these components at local expense. This design allows for the efficient fragmentation of ancient bone and improves sample throughput. This design is recommended as a useful, economical addition to existing laboratory equipment for the handling of ancient bone.},
}

@article {pmid29931305,
year = {2018},
author = {Prüfer, K},
title = {snpAD: An ancient DNA genotype caller.},
journal = {Bioinformatics (Oxford, England)},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1093/bioinformatics/bty507},
pmid = {29931305},
issn = {1367-4811},
abstract = {Motivation: The study of ancient genomes can elucidate the evolutionary past. However, analyses are complicated by base-modifications in ancient DNA molecules that result in errors in DNA sequences. These errors are particularly common near the ends of sequences and pose a challenge for genotype calling.

Results: I describe an iterative method that estimates genotype frequencies and errors along sequences to allow for accurate genotype calling from ancient sequences. The implementation of this method, called snpAD, performs well on high-coverage ancient data, as shown by simulations and by subsampling the data of a high-coverage Neandertal genome. Although estimates for low-coverage genomes are less accurate, I am able to derive approximate estimates of heterozygosity from several low-coverage Neandertals. These estimates show that low heterozygosity, compared to modern humans, was common among Neandertals.

Availability: The C ++ code of snpAD is freely available at http://bioinf.eva.mpg.de/snpAD/.

Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.},
}

@article {pmid29924800,
year = {2018},
author = {Tams, KW and Jensen Søe, M and Merkyte, I and Valeur Seersholm, F and Henriksen, PS and Klingenberg, S and Willerslev, E and Kjær, KH and Hansen, AJ and Kapel, CMO},
title = {Parasitic infections and resource economy of Danish Iron Age settlement through ancient DNA sequencing.},
journal = {PloS one},
volume = {13},
number = {6},
pages = {e0197399},
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0197399},
pmid = {29924800},
issn = {1932-6203},
abstract = {In this study, we screen archaeological soil samples by microscopy and analyse the samples by next generation sequencing to obtain results with parasites at species level and untargeted findings of plant and animal DNA. Three separate sediment layers of an ancient man-made pond in Hoby, Denmark, ranging from 100 BC to 200 AD, were analysed by microscopy for presence of intestinal worm eggs and DNA analysis were performed to identify intestinal worms and dietary components. Ancient DNA of parasites, domestic animals and edible plants revealed a change in use of the pond over time reflecting the household practice in the adjacent Iron Age settlement. The most abundant parasite found belonged to the Ascaris genus, which was not possible to type at species level. For all sediment layers the presence of eggs of the human whipworm Trichuris trichiura and the beef tapeworm Taenia saginata suggests continuous disposal of human faeces in the pond. Moreover, the continuous findings of T. saginata further imply beef consumption and may suggest that cattle were living in the immediate surrounding of the site throughout the period. Findings of additional host-specific parasites suggest fluctuating presence of other domestic animals over time: Trichuris suis (pig), Parascaris univalens (horse), Taenia hydatigena (dog and sheep). Likewise, alternating occurrence of aDNA of edible plants may suggest changes in agricultural practices. Moreover, the composition of aDNA of parasites, plants and vertebrates suggests a significant change in the use of the ancient pond over a period of three centuries.},
}

@article {pmid29921229,
year = {2018},
author = {Cabrera, VM and Marrero, P and Abu-Amero, KK and Larruga, JM},
title = {Carriers of mitochondrial DNA macrohaplogroup L3 basal lineages migrated back to Africa from Asia around 70,000 years ago.},
journal = {BMC evolutionary biology},
volume = {18},
number = {1},
pages = {98},
doi = {10.1186/s12862-018-1211-4},
pmid = {29921229},
issn = {1471-2148},
support = {CGL2010-16195//Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación/ ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: The main unequivocal conclusion after three decades of phylogeographic mtDNA studies is the African origin of all extant modern humans. In addition, a southern coastal route has been argued for to explain the Eurasian colonization of these African pioneers. Based on the age of macrohaplogroup L3, from which all maternal Eurasian and the majority of African lineages originated, the out-of-Africa event has been dated around 60-70 kya. On the opposite side, we have proposed a northern route through Central Asia across the Levant for that expansion and, consistent with the fossil record, we have dated it around 125 kya. To help bridge differences between the molecular and fossil record ages, in this article we assess the possibility that mtDNA macrohaplogroup L3 matured in Eurasia and returned to Africa as basal L3 lineages around 70 kya.

RESULTS: The coalescence ages of all Eurasian (M,N) and African (L3) lineages, both around 71 kya, are not significantly different. The oldest M and N Eurasian clades are found in southeastern Asia instead near of Africa as expected by the southern route hypothesis. The split of the Y-chromosome composite DE haplogroup is very similar to the age of mtDNA L3. An Eurasian origin and back migration to Africa has been proposed for the African Y-chromosome haplogroup E. Inside Africa, frequency distributions of maternal L3 and paternal E lineages are positively correlated. This correlation is not fully explained by geographic or ethnic affinities. This correlation rather seems to be the result of a joint and global replacement of the old autochthonous male and female African lineages by the new Eurasian incomers.

CONCLUSIONS: These results are congruent with a model proposing an out-of-Africa migration into Asia, following a northern route, of early anatomically modern humans carrying pre-L3 mtDNA lineages around 125 kya, subsequent diversification of pre-L3 into the basal lineages of L3, a return to Africa of Eurasian fully modern humans around 70 kya carrying the basal L3 lineages and the subsequent diversification of Eurasian-remaining L3 lineages into the M and N lineages in the outside-of-Africa context, and a second Eurasian global expansion by 60 kya, most probably, out of southeast Asia. Climatic conditions and the presence of Neanderthals and other hominins might have played significant roles in these human movements. Moreover, recent studies based on ancient DNA and whole-genome sequencing are also compatible with this hypothesis.},
}

@article {pmid29920259,
year = {2018},
author = {Min-Shan Ko, A and Zhang, Y and Yang, MA and Hu, Y and Cao, P and Feng, X and Zhang, L and Wei, F and Fu, Q},
title = {Mitochondrial genome of a 22,000-year-old giant panda from southern China reveals a new panda lineage.},
journal = {Current biology : CB},
volume = {28},
number = {12},
pages = {R693-R694},
doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2018.05.008},
pmid = {29920259},
issn = {1879-0445},
abstract = {Present-day giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) are estimated to have diverged from their closest relatives, all other bears, ∼20 million years ago, based on molecular data [1]. With fewer than 2,500 individuals living today [2], it is unclear how well genetic data from extant and historical giant pandas [3] reflect the past [3]. To date, there has been no complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequenced from an ancient giant panda. Here, we use ancient DNA capture techniques [4] to sequence the complete mitochondrial genome of a ∼22,000-year-old giant panda specimen (radiocarbon date of 21,910-21,495 cal BP with ± 2σ at 95.4% probability; Lab.no Beta-473743) from the Cizhutuo Cave, in Leye County, Guangxi Province, China (Figure 1A). Its date and location in Guangxi, where no wild giant pandas live today, as well as the difficulty of DNA preservation in a hot and humid region, place it as a unique specimen to learn about ancient giant pandas from the last glacial maximum. We find that the mtDNA lineage of the Cizhutuo panda coalesced with present-day pandas ∼183 thousand years ago (kya, 95% HPD, 227-144 kya), earlier than the time to the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) of mtDNA lineages shared by present-day pandas (∼72 kya, 95% HPD, 94-55 kya, Supplemental Information). Furthermore, the Cizhutuo panda possessed 18 non-synonymous mutations across six mitochondrial genes. Our results show that the Cizhutuo mtDNA lineage underwent a distinct history from that of present-day populations.},
}

@article {pmid29915330,
year = {2018},
author = {Estrada, O and Breen, J and Richards, SM and Cooper, A},
title = {Ancient plant DNA in the genomic era.},
journal = {Nature plants},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1038/s41477-018-0187-9},
pmid = {29915330},
issn = {2055-0278},
}

@article {pmid29902423,
year = {2018},
author = {Fugassa, MH and Petrigh, RS and Fernández, PM and Carballido Catalayud, M and Belleli, C},
title = {Fox parasites in pre-Columbian times: Evidence from the past to understand the current helminth assemblages.},
journal = {Acta tropica},
volume = {185},
number = {},
pages = {380-384},
doi = {10.1016/j.actatropica.2018.06.007},
pmid = {29902423},
issn = {1873-6254},
abstract = {This work aims to increase the information on the entero-parasitism in Holocene carnivores, by examining coprolites found in Patagonia. Molecular analysis was conducted following the Authenticity Criteria to Determine Ancient DNA sequences. The nucleotide sequences showed 99% of identity with the Control Region sequences of Lycalopex culpaeus (culpeo fox). Coprolites were positive for gastrointestinal parasites. The presence of Alaria sp. and Clonorchis sp. represents the first record for pre-Columbian America. The parasitological findings suggest the importance of these carnivores for the dissemination of their own parasites and those to their prey in rockshelters, areas with high re-use of space.},
}

@article {pmid29900529,
year = {2018},
author = {Hollard, C and Zvénigorosky, V and Kovalev, A and Kiryushin, Y and Tishkin, A and Lazaretov, I and Crubézy, E and Ludes, B and Keyser, C},
title = {New genetic evidence of affinities and discontinuities between bronze age Siberian populations.},
journal = {American journal of physical anthropology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1002/ajpa.23607},
pmid = {29900529},
issn = {1096-8644},
abstract = {OBJECTIVES: This work focuses on the populations of South Siberia during the Eneolithic and Bronze Age and specifically on the contribution of uniparental lineage and phenotypical data to the question of the genetic affinities and discontinuities between western and eastern populations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed molecular analyses on the remains of 28 ancient humans (10 Afanasievo (3600-2500 BC) and 18 Okunevo (2500-1800 BC) individuals). For each sample, two uniparentally inherited systems (mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome DNA) were studied, in order to trace back maternal and paternal lineages. Phenotype-informative SNPs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms) were also analyzed, along with autosomal STRs (Short Tandem Repeats).

RESULTS: Most of the Afanasievo men submitted to analysis belonged to a single sub-haplogroup, R1b1a1a, which reveals the predominance of this haplogroup in these early Bronze Age populations. Conversely, Okunevo individuals carried more diverse paternal lineages that mostly belonged to Asian/Siberian haplogroups. These differences are also apparent, although less strongly, in mitochondrial lineage composition and phenotype marker variant frequencies.

DISCUSSION: This study provides new elements that contribute to our understanding of the genetic interactions between populations in Eneolithic and Bronze Age southern Siberia. Our results support the hypothesis of a genetic link between Afanasievo and Yamnaya (in western Eurasia), as suggested by previous studies of other markers. However, we found no Y-chromosome lineage evidence of a possible Afanasievo migration to the Tarim Basin. Moreover, the presence of Y-haplogroup Q in Okunevo individuals links them to Native American populations, as was suggested by whole-genome sequencing.},
}

@article {pmid29895688,
year = {2018},
author = {Fregel, R and Méndez, FL and Bokbot, Y and Martín-Socas, D and Camalich-Massieu, MD and Santana, J and Morales, J and Ávila-Arcos, MC and Underhill, PA and Shapiro, B and Wojcik, G and Rasmussen, M and Soares, AER and Kapp, J and Sockell, A and Rodríguez-Santos, FJ and Mikdad, A and Trujillo-Mederos, A and Bustamante, CD},
title = {Ancient genomes from North Africa evidence prehistoric migrations to the Maghreb from both the Levant and Europe.},
journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
volume = {115},
number = {26},
pages = {6774-6779},
doi = {10.1073/pnas.1800851115},
pmid = {29895688},
issn = {1091-6490},
abstract = {The extent to which prehistoric migrations of farmers influenced the genetic pool of western North Africans remains unclear. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Neolithization process may have happened through the adoption of innovations by local Epipaleolithic communities or by demic diffusion from the Eastern Mediterranean shores or Iberia. Here, we present an analysis of individuals' genome sequences from Early and Late Neolithic sites in Morocco and from Early Neolithic individuals from southern Iberia. We show that Early Neolithic Moroccans (∼5,000 BCE) are similar to Later Stone Age individuals from the same region and possess an endemic element retained in present-day Maghrebi populations, confirming a long-term genetic continuity in the region. This scenario is consistent with Early Neolithic traditions in North Africa deriving from Epipaleolithic communities that adopted certain agricultural techniques from neighboring populations. Among Eurasian ancient populations, Early Neolithic Moroccans are distantly related to Levantine Natufian hunter-gatherers (∼9,000 BCE) and Pre-Pottery Neolithic farmers (∼6,500 BCE). Late Neolithic (∼3,000 BCE) Moroccans, in contrast, share an Iberian component, supporting theories of trans-Gibraltar gene flow and indicating that Neolithization of North Africa involved both the movement of ideas and people. Lastly, the southern Iberian Early Neolithic samples share the same genetic composition as the Cardial Mediterranean Neolithic culture that reached Iberia ∼5,500 BCE. The cultural and genetic similarities between Iberian and North African Neolithic traditions further reinforce the model of an Iberian migration into the Maghreb.},
}

@article {pmid29894925,
year = {2018},
author = {Dannemann, M and Racimo, F},
title = {Something old, something borrowed: admixture and adaptation in human evolution.},
journal = {Current opinion in genetics & development},
volume = {53},
number = {},
pages = {1-8},
doi = {10.1016/j.gde.2018.05.009},
pmid = {29894925},
issn = {1879-0380},
abstract = {The sequencing of ancient DNA from archaic humans-Neanderthals and Denisovans-has revealed that modern and archaic humans interbred at least twice during the Pleistocene. The field of human paleogenomics has now turned its attention towards understanding the nature of this genetic legacy in the gene pool of present-day humans. What exactly did modern humans obtain from interbreeding with Neanderthals and Denisovans? Was the introgressed genetic material beneficial, neutral or maladaptive? Can differences in phenotypes among present-day human populations be explained by archaic human introgression? These questions are of prime importance for our understanding of recent human evolution, but will require careful computational modeling and extensive functional assays before they can be answered in full. Here, we review the recent literature characterizing introgressed DNA and the likely biological consequences for their modern human carriers. We focus particularly on archaic human haplotypes that were beneficial to modern humans as they expanded across the globe, and on ways to understand how populations harboring these haplotypes evolved over time.},
}

@article {pmid29877032,
year = {2018},
author = {Alberti, F and Gonzalez, J and Paijmans, JLA and Basler, N and Preick, M and Henneberger, K and Trinks, A and Rabeder, G and Conard, NJ and Münzel, SC and Joger, U and Fritsch, G and Hildebrandt, T and Hofreiter, M and Barlow, A},
title = {Optimized DNA sampling of ancient bones using Computed Tomography scans.},
journal = {Molecular ecology resources},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1111/1755-0998.12911},
pmid = {29877032},
issn = {1755-0998},
abstract = {The prevalence of contaminant microbial DNA in ancient bone samples represents the principal limiting factor for palaeogenomic studies, as it may comprise more than 99% of DNA molecules obtained. Efforts to exclude or reduce this contaminant fraction have been numerous but also variable in their success. Here, we present a simple but highly effective method to increase the relative proportion of endogenous molecules obtained from ancient bones. Using computed tomography (CT) scanning, we identify the densest region of a bone as optimal for sampling. This approach accurately identifies the densest internal regions of petrous bones, which are known to be a source of high-purity ancient DNA. For ancient long bones, CT scans reveal a high-density outermost layer, which has been routinely removed and discarded prior to DNA extraction. For almost all long bones investigated, we find that targeted sampling of this outermost layer provides an increase in endogenous DNA content over that obtained from softer, trabecular bone. This targeted sampling can produce as much as 50-fold increase in the proportion of endogenous DNA, providing a directly proportional reduction in sequencing costs for shotgun sequencing experiments. The observed increases in endogenous DNA proportion are not associated with any reduction in absolute endogenous molecule recovery. Although sampling the outermost layer can result in higher levels of human contamination, some bones were found to have more contamination associated with the internal bone structures. Our method is highly consistent, reproducible and applicable across a wide range of bone types, ages and species. We predict that this discovery will greatly extend the potential to study ancient populations and species in the genomics era.},
}

@article {pmid29866821,
year = {2018},
author = {Ayuso-Fernández, I and Ruiz-Dueñas, FJ and Martínez, AT},
title = {Evolutionary convergence in lignin-degrading enzymes.},
journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
volume = {115},
number = {25},
pages = {6428-6433},
doi = {10.1073/pnas.1802555115},
pmid = {29866821},
issn = {1091-6490},
abstract = {The resurrection of ancestral enzymes of now-extinct organisms (paleogenetics) is a developing field that allows the study of evolutionary hypotheses otherwise impossible to be tested. In the present study, we target fungal peroxidases that play a key role in lignin degradation, an essential process in the carbon cycle and often a limiting step in biobased industries. Ligninolytic peroxidases are secreted by wood-rotting fungi, the origin of which was recently established in the Carboniferous period associated with the appearance of these enzymes. These first peroxidases were not able to degrade lignin directly and used diffusible metal cations to attack its phenolic moiety. The phylogenetic analysis of the peroxidases of Polyporales, the order in which most extant wood-rotting fungi are included, suggests that later in evolution these enzymes would have acquired the ability to degrade nonphenolic lignin using a tryptophanyl radical interacting with the bulky polymer at the surface of the enzyme. Here, we track this powerful strategy for lignin degradation as a phenotypic trait in fungi and show that it is not an isolated event in the evolution of Polyporales. Using ancestral enzyme resurrection, we study the molecular changes that led to the appearance of the same surface oxidation site in two distant peroxidase lineages. By characterization of the resurrected enzymes, we demonstrate convergent evolution at the amino acid level during the evolution of these fungi and track the different changes leading to phylogenetically distant ligninolytic peroxidases from ancestors lacking the ability to degrade nonphenolic lignin.},
}

@article {pmid29854947,
year = {2018},
author = {Lesnek, AJ and Briner, JP and Lindqvist, C and Baichtal, JF and Heaton, TH},
title = {Deglaciation of the Pacific coastal corridor directly preceded the human colonization of the Americas.},
journal = {Science advances},
volume = {4},
number = {5},
pages = {eaar5040},
doi = {10.1126/sciadv.aar5040},
pmid = {29854947},
issn = {2375-2548},
abstract = {The route and timing of early human migration to the Americas have been a contentious topic for decades. Recent paleogenetic analyses suggest that the initial colonization from Beringia took place as early as 16 thousand years (ka) ago via a deglaciated corridor along the North Pacific coast. However, the feasibility of such a migration depends on the extent of the western Cordilleran Ice Sheet (CIS) and the available resources along the hypothesized coastal route during this timeframe. We date the culmination of maximum CIS conditions in southeastern Alaska, a potential bottleneck region for human migration, to ~20 to 17 ka ago with cosmogenic 10Be exposure dating and 14C dating of bones from an ice-overrun cave. We also show that productive marine and terrestrial ecosystems were established almost immediately following deglaciation. We conclude that CIS retreat ensured that an open and ecologically viable pathway through southeastern Alaska was available after 17 ka ago, which may have been traversed by early humans as they colonized the Americas.},
}

@article {pmid29782156,
year = {2018},
author = {Tse, TJ and Doig, LE and Tang, S and Zhang, X and Sun, W and Wiseman, SB and Feng, CX and Liu, H and Giesy, JP and Hecker, M and Jones, PD},
title = {Combining High-Throughput Sequencing of sedaDNA and Traditional Paleolimnological Techniques To Infer Historical Trends in Cyanobacterial Communities.},
journal = {Environmental science & technology},
volume = {52},
number = {12},
pages = {6842-6853},
doi = {10.1021/acs.est.7b06386},
pmid = {29782156},
issn = {1520-5851},
abstract = {Freshwaters worldwide are under increasing pressure from anthropogenic activities and changing climate. Unfortunately, many inland waters lack sufficient long-term monitoring to assess environmental trends. Analysis of sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA) is emerging as a means to reconstruct the past occurrence of microbial communities of inland waters. The purpose of this study was to assess a combination of high-throughput sequencing (16S rRNA) of sedaDNA and traditional paleolimnological analyses to explore multidecadal relationships among cyanobacterial community composition, the potential for cyanotoxin production, and paleoenvironmental proxies. DNA was extracted from two sediment cores collected from a northern Canadian Great Plains reservoir. Diversity indices illustrated significant community-level changes since reservoir formation. Furthermore, higher relative abundances in more recent years were observed for potentially toxic cyanobacterial genera including Dolichospermum. Correlation-based network analysis revealed this trend significantly and positively correlated to abundances of the microcystin synthetase gene (mcyA) and other paleoproxies (nutrients, pigments, stanols, sterols, and certain diatom species), demonstrating synchrony between molecular and more standard proxies. These findings demonstrate a novel approach to infer long-term dynamics of cyanobacterial diversity in inland waters and highlight the power of high-throughput sequencing to reconstruct trends in environmental quality and inform lake and reservoir management and monitoring program design.},
}

@article {pmid29773666,
year = {2018},
author = {Lipson, M and Cheronet, O and Mallick, S and Rohland, N and Oxenham, M and Pietrusewsky, M and Pryce, TO and Willis, A and Matsumura, H and Buckley, H and Domett, K and Nguyen, GH and Trinh, HH and Kyaw, AA and Win, TT and Pradier, B and Broomandkhoshbacht, N and Candilio, F and Changmai, P and Fernandes, D and Ferry, M and Gamarra, B and Harney, E and Kampuansai, J and Kutanan, W and Michel, M and Novak, M and Oppenheimer, J and Sirak, K and Stewardson, K and Zhang, Z and Flegontov, P and Pinhasi, R and Reich, D},
title = {Ancient genomes document multiple waves of migration in Southeast Asian prehistory.},
journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
volume = {361},
number = {6397},
pages = {92-95},
doi = {10.1126/science.aat3188},
pmid = {29773666},
issn = {1095-9203},
support = {R01 GM100233/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; /HHMI/Howard Hughes Medical Institute/United States ; },
abstract = {Southeast Asia is home to rich human genetic and linguistic diversity, but the details of past population movements in the region are not well known. Here, we report genome-wide ancient DNA data from 18 Southeast Asian individuals spanning from the Neolithic period through the Iron Age (4100 to 1700 years ago). Early farmers from Man Bac in Vietnam exhibit a mixture of East Asian (southern Chinese agriculturalist) and deeply diverged eastern Eurasian (hunter-gatherer) ancestry characteristic of Austroasiatic speakers, with similar ancestry as far south as Indonesia providing evidence for an expansive initial spread of Austroasiatic languages. By the Bronze Age, in a parallel pattern to Europe, sites in Vietnam and Myanmar show close connections to present-day majority groups, reflecting substantial additional influxes of migrants.},
}

@article {pmid29769358,
year = {2018},
author = {Delsuc, F and Kuch, M and Gibb, GC and Hughes, J and Szpak, P and Southon, J and Enk, J and Duggan, AT and Poinar, HN},
title = {Resolving the phylogenetic position of Darwin's extinct ground sloth (Mylodon darwinii) using mitogenomic and nuclear exon data.},
journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences},
volume = {285},
number = {1878},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1098/rspb.2018.0214},
pmid = {29769358},
issn = {1471-2954},
abstract = {Mylodon darwinii is the extinct giant ground sloth named after Charles Darwin, who first collected its remains in South America. We have successfully obtained a high-quality mitochondrial genome at 99-fold coverage using an Illumina shotgun sequencing of a 12 880-year-old bone fragment from Mylodon Cave in Chile. Low level of DNA damage showed that this sample was exceptionally well preserved for an ancient subfossil, probably the result of the dry and cold conditions prevailing within the cave. Accordingly, taxonomic assessment of our shotgun metagenomic data showed a very high percentage of endogenous DNA with 22% of the assembled metagenomic contigs assigned to Xenarthra. Additionally, we enriched over 15 kb of sequence data from seven nuclear exons, using target sequence capture designed against a wide xenarthran dataset. Phylogenetic and dating analyses of the mitogenomic dataset including all extant species of xenarthrans and the assembled nuclear supermatrix unambiguously place Mylodon darwinii as the sister-group of modern two-fingered sloths, from which it diverged around 22 million years ago. These congruent results from both the mitochondrial and nuclear data support the diphyly of the two modern sloth lineages, implying the convergent evolution of their unique suspensory behaviour as an adaption to arboreality. Our results offer promising perspectives for whole-genome sequencing of this emblematic extinct taxon.},
}

@article {pmid29769015,
year = {2018},
author = {Tong, KJ and Duchêne, DA and Duchêne, S and Geoghegan, JL and Ho, SYW},
title = {A comparison of methods for estimating substitution rates from ancient DNA sequence data.},
journal = {BMC evolutionary biology},
volume = {18},
number = {1},
pages = {70},
doi = {10.1186/s12862-018-1192-3},
pmid = {29769015},
issn = {1471-2148},
support = {FT160100167//Australian Research Council/ ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Phylogenetic analysis of DNA from modern and ancient samples allows the reconstruction of important demographic and evolutionary processes. A critical component of these analyses is the estimation of evolutionary rates, which can be calibrated using information about the ages of the samples. However, the reliability of these rate estimates can be negatively affected by among-lineage rate variation and non-random sampling. Using a simulation study, we compared the performance of three phylogenetic methods for inferring evolutionary rates from time-structured data sets: regression of root-to-tip distances, least-squares dating, and Bayesian inference. We also applied these three methods to time-structured mitogenomic data sets from six vertebrate species.

RESULTS: Our results from 12 simulation scenarios show that the three methods produce reliable estimates when the substitution rate is high, rate variation is low, and samples of similar ages are not all grouped together in the tree (i.e., low phylo-temporal clustering). The interaction of these factors is particularly important for least-squares dating and Bayesian estimation of evolutionary rates. The three estimation methods produced consistent estimates of rates across most of the six mitogenomic data sets, with sequence data from horses being an exception.

CONCLUSIONS: We recommend that phylogenetic studies of ancient DNA sequences should use multiple methods of inference and test for the presence of temporal signal, among-lineage rate variation, and phylo-temporal clustering in the data.},
}

@article {pmid29768437,
year = {2018},
author = {Willmann, C and Mata, X and Hanghoej, K and Tonasso, L and Tisseyre, L and Jeziorski, C and Cabot, E and Chevet, P and Crubézy, E and Orlando, L and Esclassan, R and Thèves, C},
title = {Oral health status in historic population: Macroscopic and metagenomic evidence.},
journal = {PloS one},
volume = {13},
number = {5},
pages = {e0196482},
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0196482},
pmid = {29768437},
issn = {1932-6203},
abstract = {Recent developments in High-Throughput DNA sequencing (HTS) technologies and ancient DNA (aDNA) research have opened access to the characterization of the microbial communities within past populations. Most studies have, however, relied on the analysis of dental calculus as one particular material type particularly prone to the molecular preservation of ancient microbial biofilms and potential of entire teeth for microbial characterization, both of healthy communities and pathogens in ancient individuals, remains overlooked. In this study, we used shotgun sequencing to characterize the bacterial composition from historical subjects showing macroscopic evidence of oral pathologies. We first carried out a macroscopic analysis aimed at identifying carious or periodontal diseases in subjects belonging to a French rural population of the 18th century AD. We next examined radiographically six subjects showing specific, characteristic dental pathologies and applied HTS shotgun sequencing to characterize the microbial communities present in and on the dental material. The presence of Streptococcus mutans and also Rothia dentocariosa, Actinomyces viscosus, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Pseudoramibacter alactolyticus, Olsenella uli and Parvimonas micra was confirmed through the presence of typical signatures of post-mortem DNA damage at an average depth-of-coverage ranging from 0.5 to 7X, with a minimum of 35% (from 35 to 93%) of the positions in the genome covered at least once. Each sampled tooth showed a specific bacterial signature associated with carious or periodontal pathologies. This work demonstrates that from a healthy independent tooth, without visible macroscopic pathology, we can identify a signature of specific pathogens and deduce the oral health status of an individual.},
}

@article {pmid29764946,
year = {2018},
author = {Wang, Y and Stata, M and Wang, W and Stajich, JE and White, MM and Moncalvo, JM},
title = {Comparative Genomics Reveals the Core Gene Toolbox for the Fungus-Insect Symbiosis.},
journal = {mBio},
volume = {9},
number = {3},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1128/mBio.00636-18},
pmid = {29764946},
issn = {2150-7511},
abstract = {Modern genomics has shed light on many entomopathogenic fungi and expanded our knowledge widely; however, little is known about the genomic features of the insect-commensal fungi. Harpellales are obligate commensals living in the digestive tracts of disease-bearing insects (black flies, midges, and mosquitoes). In this study, we produced and annotated whole-genome sequences of nine Harpellales taxa and conducted the first comparative analyses to infer the genomic diversity within the members of the Harpellales. The genomes of the insect gut fungi feature low (26% to 37%) GC content and large genome size variations (25 to 102 Mb). Further comparisons with insect-pathogenic fungi (from both Ascomycota and Zoopagomycota), as well as with free-living relatives (as negative controls), helped to identify a gene toolbox that is essential to the fungus-insect symbiosis. The results not only narrow the genomic scope of fungus-insect interactions from several thousands to eight core players but also distinguish host invasion strategies employed by insect pathogens and commensals. The genomic content suggests that insect commensal fungi rely mostly on adhesion protein anchors that target digestive system, while entomopathogenic fungi have higher numbers of transmembrane helices, signal peptides, and pathogen-host interaction (PHI) genes across the whole genome and enrich genes as well as functional domains to inactivate the host inflammation system and suppress the host defense. Phylogenomic analyses have revealed that genome sizes of Harpellales fungi vary among lineages with an integer-multiple pattern, which implies that ancient genome duplications may have occurred within the gut of insects.IMPORTANCE Insect guts harbor various microbes that are important for host digestion, immune response, and disease dispersal in certain cases. Bacteria, which are among the primary endosymbionts, have been studied extensively. However, fungi, which are also frequently encountered, are poorly known with respect to their biology within the insect guts. To understand the genomic features and related biology, we produced the whole-genome sequences of nine gut commensal fungi from disease-bearing insects (black flies, midges, and mosquitoes). The results show that insect gut fungi tend to have low GC content across their genomes. By comparing these commensals with entomopathogenic and free-living fungi that have available genome sequences, we found a universal core gene toolbox that is unique and thus potentially important for the insect-fungus symbiosis. This comparative work also uncovered different host invasion strategies employed by insect pathogens and commensals, as well as a model system to study ancient fungal genome duplication within the gut of insects.},
}

@article {pmid29763671,
year = {2018},
author = {Lewandowska, M and Jędrychowska-Dańska, K and Płoszaj, T and Witas, P and Zamerska, A and Mańkowska-Pliszka, H and Witas, HW},
title = {Searching for signals of recent natural selection in genes of the innate immune response - ancient DNA study.},
journal = {Infection, genetics and evolution : journal of molecular epidemiology and evolutionary genetics in infectious diseases},
volume = {63},
number = {},
pages = {62-72},
doi = {10.1016/j.meegid.2018.05.008},
pmid = {29763671},
issn = {1567-7257},
abstract = {The last decade has seen sharp progress in the field of human evolutionary genetics and a great amount of genetic evidence of natural selection has been provided so far. Since host-pathogen co-evolution is difficult to trace due to the polygenic nature of human susceptibility to microbial diseases, of particular interest is any signal of natural selection in response to the strong selective pressure exerted by pathogens. Analysis of ancient DNA allows for the direct insight into changes of a gene pool content over time and enables monitoring allele frequency fluctuations. Among pathogenic agents, mycobacteria are proved to have remained in an intimate, long-lasting relation with humans, reflected by the current high level of host resistance. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of several polymorphisms within innate immune response genes related to susceptibility to mycobacterial diseases (in SLC11A1, MBL2, TLR2, P2RX7, IL10, TNFA) in time series data from North and East Poland (1st-18th century AD, n = 207). The comparison of allele frequencies over time revealed a predominant role of genetic drift in shaping past gene pool of small, probably isolated groups, which was explained by the high level of population differentiation and limited gene flow. However, the trajectory of frequency fluctuations of two SNPs suggested the possibility of their non-neutral evolution and the results of applied forward simulations further strengthened the hypothesis of natural selection acting on those loci. However, we observed an unusual excess of homozygosity in the profile of several SNPs, which pinpoints to the necessity of further research on temporally and spatially diverse samples to support our inference on non-stochastic evolution, ideally employing pathway-based approaches. Nevertheless, our study confirms that time series data could help to decipher very recent human adaptation to life-threatening pathogens and assisting demographic events.},
}

@article {pmid29746563,
year = {2018},
author = {Schuenemann, VJ and Avanzi, C and Krause-Kyora, B and Seitz, A and Herbig, A and Inskip, S and Bonazzi, M and Reiter, E and Urban, C and Dangvard Pedersen, D and Taylor, GM and Singh, P and Stewart, GR and Velemínský, P and Likovsky, J and Marcsik, A and Molnár, E and Pálfi, G and Mariotti, V and Riga, A and Belcastro, MG and Boldsen, JL and Nebel, A and Mays, S and Donoghue, HD and Zakrzewski, S and Benjak, A and Nieselt, K and Cole, ST and Krause, J},
title = {Ancient genomes reveal a high diversity of Mycobacterium leprae in medieval Europe.},
journal = {PLoS pathogens},
volume = {14},
number = {5},
pages = {e1006997},
doi = {10.1371/journal.ppat.1006997},
pmid = {29746563},
issn = {1553-7374},
mesh = {DNA, Bacterial/genetics/history ; Europe/epidemiology ; Evolution, Molecular ; Genetic Variation ; Genome, Bacterial ; History, Medieval ; Host-Pathogen Interactions/genetics ; Humans ; Leprosy/epidemiology/*history/microbiology ; Mycobacterium leprae/classification/*genetics/pathogenicity ; Phylogeny ; Phylogeography ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; },
abstract = {Studying ancient DNA allows us to retrace the evolutionary history of human pathogens, such as Mycobacterium leprae, the main causative agent of leprosy. Leprosy is one of the oldest recorded and most stigmatizing diseases in human history. The disease was prevalent in Europe until the 16th century and is still endemic in many countries with over 200,000 new cases reported annually. Previous worldwide studies on modern and European medieval M. leprae genomes revealed that they cluster into several distinct branches of which two were present in medieval Northwestern Europe. In this study, we analyzed 10 new medieval M. leprae genomes including the so far oldest M. leprae genome from one of the earliest known cases of leprosy in the United Kingdom-a skeleton from the Great Chesterford cemetery with a calibrated age of 415-545 C.E. This dataset provides a genetic time transect of M. leprae diversity in Europe over the past 1500 years. We find M. leprae strains from four distinct branches to be present in the Early Medieval Period, and strains from three different branches were detected within a single cemetery from the High Medieval Period. Altogether these findings suggest a higher genetic diversity of M. leprae strains in medieval Europe at various time points than previously assumed. The resulting more complex picture of the past phylogeography of leprosy in Europe impacts current phylogeographical models of M. leprae dissemination. It suggests alternative models for the past spread of leprosy such as a wide spread prevalence of strains from different branches in Eurasia already in Antiquity or maybe even an origin in Western Eurasia. Furthermore, these results highlight how studying ancient M. leprae strains improves understanding the history of leprosy worldwide.},
}

DNA, Bacterial/genetics/history
Europe/epidemiology
Evolution, Molecular
Genetic Variation
Genome, Bacterial
History, Medieval
Host-Pathogen Interactions/genetics
Humans
Leprosy/epidemiology/*history/microbiology
Mycobacterium leprae/classification/*genetics/pathogenicity
Phylogeny
Phylogeography
Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

@article {pmid29745896,
year = {2018},
author = {Krause-Kyora, B and Susat, J and Key, FM and Kühnert, D and Bosse, E and Immel, A and Rinne, C and Kornell, SC and Yepes, D and Franzenburg, S and Heyne, HO and Meier, T and Lösch, S and Meller, H and Friederich, S and Nicklisch, N and Alt, KW and Schreiber, S and Tholey, A and Herbig, A and Nebel, A and Krause, J},
title = {Neolithic and medieval virus genomes reveal complex evolution of hepatitis B.},
journal = {eLife},
volume = {7},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.7554/eLife.36666},
pmid = {29745896},
issn = {2050-084X},
support = {1266//Collaborative Research Center/ ; PMPDP3_171320/1//Swiss National Science Foundation/ ; HE7987/1-1//Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft/ ; Me 3245/1-1//Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft/ ; Al 287-7-1//Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft/ ; APGREID//European Research Council/International ; },
abstract = {The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the most widespread human pathogens known today, yet its origin and evolutionary history are still unclear and controversial. Here, we report the analysis of three ancient HBV genomes recovered from human skeletons found at three different archaeological sites in Germany. We reconstructed two Neolithic and one medieval HBV genome by de novo assembly from shotgun DNA sequencing data. Additionally, we observed HBV-specific peptides using paleo-proteomics. Our results demonstrated that HBV has circulated in the European population for at least 7000 years. The Neolithic HBV genomes show a high genomic similarity to each other. In a phylogenetic network, they do not group with any human-associated HBV genome and are most closely related to those infecting African non-human primates. The ancient viruses appear to represent distinct lineages that have no close relatives today and possibly went extinct. Our results reveal the great potential of ancient DNA from human skeletons in order to study the long-time evolution of blood borne viruses.},
}

@article {pmid29745246,
year = {2017},
author = {Claw, KG and Lippert, D and Bardill, J and Cordova, A and Fox, K and Yracheta, JM and Bader, AC and Bolnick, DA and Malhi, RS and TallBear, K and Garrison, NA},
title = {Chaco Canyon Dig Unearths Ethical Concerns.},
journal = {Human biology},
volume = {89},
number = {3},
pages = {177-180},
pmid = {29745246},
issn = {1534-6617},
support = {F32 GM119237/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; },
abstract = {The field of paleogenomics (the study of ancient genomes) is rapidly advancing, with more robust methods of isolating ancient DNA and increasing access to next-generation DNA sequencing technology. As these studies progress, many important ethical issues have emerged that should be considered when ancient Native American remains, whom we refer to as ancestors, are used in research. We highlight a 2017 article by Kennett et al., "Archaeogenomic evidence reveals prehistoric matrilineal dynasty," that brings to light several ethical issues that should be addressed in paleogenomics research. The study helps elucidate the matrilineal relationships in ancient Chacoan society through ancient DNA analysis. However, we, as Indigenous researchers and allies, raise ethical concerns with the study's scientific conclusions that can be problematic for Native American communities: (1) the lack of tribal consultation, (2) the use of culturally insensitive descriptions, and (3) the potential impact on marginalized groups. Further, we explore the limitations of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, which addresses repatriation but not research, because clear ethical guidelines have not been established for research involving Native American ancestors, especially those deemed "culturally unaffiliated." Multiple studies of "culturally unaffiliated" remains have been initiated recently, so it is imperative that researchers consider the ethical ramifications of paleogenomics research. Past research indiscretions have created a history of mistrust and exploitation in many Native American communities. To promote ethical engagement of Native American communities in research, we therefore suggest careful attention to ethical considerations, strong tribal consultation requirements, and greater collaborations among museums, federal agencies, researchers, scientific journals, and granting agencies.},
}

@article {pmid29744957,
year = {2018},
author = {Russo, MG and Dejean, CB and Avena, SA and Seldes, V and Ramundo, P},
title = {Mitochondrial lineage A2ah found in a pre-Hispanic individual from the Andean region.},
journal = {American journal of human biology : the official journal of the Human Biology Council},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {e23134},
doi = {10.1002/ajhb.23134},
pmid = {29744957},
issn = {1520-6300},
abstract = {OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to contribute to the knowledge of pre-Hispanic Andean mitochondrial diversity by analyzing an individual from the archaeological site Pukara de La Cueva (North-western Argentina). The date of the discovery context (540 ± 60 BP) corresponds to the Regional Developments II period.

METHODS: Two separate DNA extractions were performed from dentin powder of one tooth. HVR I was amplified by PCR from each extract in three overlapping fragments and the haplotype was determined by consensus among all obtained sequences. The procedures were carried out under strict protocols developed for working with ancient DNA.

RESULTS: The individual belonged to the A2ah lineage due to the presence of the 16097C and 16098G transitions, which constitute its distinctive motif. This lineage is very rare in Native American populations and was described in four individuals from current groups inhabiting the Bolivian Llanos, two from South-eastern Brazil, and one from the Gran Chaco region. In addition, two other mutations (16260T and 16286T) were shared with one of the individuals from the Bolivian Llanos region.

CONCLUSIONS: Considering that the origin of this lineage was postulated for the South American lowlands, the present pre-Hispanic discovery in the Andean area could be taken as a new evidence of gene flow between these regions. Also, it allows the questioning of the geographical origin of this mitochondrial lineage.},
}

@article {pmid29732264,
year = {2018},
author = {Harbert, RS},
title = {Algorithms and strategies in short-read shotgun metagenomic reconstruction of plant communities.},
journal = {Applications in plant sciences},
volume = {6},
number = {3},
pages = {e1034},
doi = {10.1002/aps3.1034},
pmid = {29732264},
issn = {2168-0450},
abstract = {Premise of the Study: DNA may be preserved for thousands of years in very cold or dry environments, and plant tissue fragments and pollen trapped in soils and shallow aquatic sediments are well suited for the molecular characterization of past floras. However, one obstacle in this area of study is the limiting bias in the bioinformatic classification of short fragments of degraded DNA from the large, complex genomes of plants.

Methods: To establish one possible baseline protocol for the rapid classification of short-read shotgun metagenomic data for reconstructing plant communities, the read classification programs Kraken, Centrifuge, and MegaBLAST were tested on simulated and ancient data with classification against a reference database targeting plants.

Results: Performance tests on simulated data suggest that Kraken and Centrifuge outperform MegaBLAST. Kraken tends to be the most conservative approach with high precision, whereas Centrifuge has higher sensitivity. Reanalysis of 13,000 years of ancient sedimentary DNA from North America characterizes potential post-glacial vegetation succession.

Discussion: Classification method choice has an impact on performance and any downstream interpretation of results. The reanalysis of ancient DNA from glacial lake sediments yielded vegetation histories that varied depending on method, potentially changing paleoecological conclusions drawn from molecular evidence.},
}

@article {pmid29723195,
year = {2018},
author = {Key, FM and Abdul-Aziz, MA and Mundry, R and Peter, BM and Sekar, A and D'Amato, M and Dennis, MY and Schmidt, JM and Andrés, AM},
title = {Human local adaptation of the TRPM8 cold receptor along a latitudinal cline.},
journal = {PLoS genetics},
volume = {14},
number = {5},
pages = {e1007298},
doi = {10.1371/journal.pgen.1007298},
pmid = {29723195},
issn = {1553-7404},
support = {R01 HG007089/NH/NIH HHS/United States ; R00NS083627/NH/NIH HHS/United States ; },
mesh = {Adaptation, Physiological/*genetics ; Africa ; Asia ; Bayes Theorem ; *Cold Temperature ; Europe ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Frequency ; Genetics, Population/statistics & numerical data ; Genotype ; Humans ; Linkage Disequilibrium ; *Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Selection, Genetic ; TRPM Cation Channels/*genetics ; },
abstract = {Ambient temperature is a critical environmental factor for all living organisms. It was likely an important selective force as modern humans recently colonized temperate and cold Eurasian environments. Nevertheless, as of yet we have limited evidence of local adaptation to ambient temperature in populations from those environments. To shed light on this question, we exploit the fact that humans are a cosmopolitan species that inhabit territories under a wide range of temperatures. Focusing on cold perception-which is central to thermoregulation and survival in cold environments-we show evidence of recent local adaptation on TRPM8. This gene encodes for a cation channel that is, to date, the only temperature receptor known to mediate an endogenous response to moderate cold. The upstream variant rs10166942 shows extreme population differentiation, with frequencies that range from 5% in Nigeria to 88% in Finland (placing this SNP in the 0.02% tail of the FST empirical distribution). When all populations are jointly analyzed, allele frequencies correlate with latitude and temperature beyond what can be explained by shared ancestry and population substructure. Using a Bayesian approach, we infer that the allele originated and evolved neutrally in Africa, while positive selection raised its frequency to different degrees in Eurasian populations, resulting in allele frequencies that follow a latitudinal cline. We infer strong positive selection, in agreement with ancient DNA showing high frequency of the allele in Europe 3,000 to 8,000 years ago. rs10166942 is important phenotypically because its ancestral allele is protective of migraine. This debilitating disorder varies in prevalence across human populations, with highest prevalence in individuals of European descent-precisely the population with the highest frequency of rs10166942 derived allele. We thus hypothesize that local adaptation on previously neutral standing variation may have contributed to the genetic differences that exist in the prevalence of migraine among human populations today.},
}

Adaptation, Physiological/*genetics
Africa
Asia
Bayes Theorem
*Cold Temperature
Europe
Gene Expression Profiling
Gene Frequency
Genetics, Population/statistics & numerical data
Genotype
Humans
Linkage Disequilibrium
*Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
Selection, Genetic
TRPM Cation Channels/*genetics

@article {pmid29719544,
year = {2018},
author = {Di Donato, A and Filippone, E and Ercolano, MR and Frusciante, L},
title = {Genome Sequencing of Ancient Plant Remains: Findings, Uses and Potential Applications for the Study and Improvement of Modern Crops.},
journal = {Frontiers in plant science},
volume = {9},
number = {},
pages = {441},
doi = {10.3389/fpls.2018.00441},
pmid = {29719544},
issn = {1664-462X},
abstract = {The advent of new sequencing technologies is revolutionizing the studies of ancient DNA (aDNA). In the last 30 years, DNA extracted from the ancient remains of several plant species has been explored in small-scale studies, contributing to understand the adaptation, and migration patterns of important crops. More recently, NGS technologies applied on aDNA have opened up new avenues of research, allowing investigation of the domestication process on the whole-genome scale. Genomic approaches based on genome-wide and targeted sequencing have been shown to provide important information on crop evolution and on the history of agriculture. Huge amounts of next-generation sequencing (NGS) data offer various solutions to overcome problems related to the origin of the material, such as degradation, fragmentation of polynucleotides, and external contamination. Recent advances made in several crop domestication studies have boosted interest in this research area. Remains of any nature are potential candidates for aDNA recovery and almost all the analyses that can be made on fresh DNA can also be performed on aDNA. The analysis performed on aDNA can shed light on many phylogenetic questions concerning evolution, domestication, and improvement of plant species. It is a powerful instrument to reconstruct patterns of crop adaptation and migration. Information gathered can also be used in many fields of modern agriculture such as classical breeding, genome editing, pest management, and product promotion. Whilst unlocking the hidden genome of ancient crops offers great potential, the onus is now on the research community to use such information to gain new insight into agriculture.},
}

@article {pmid29717136,
year = {2018},
author = {Krause-Kyora, B and Nutsua, M and Boehme, L and Pierini, F and Pedersen, DD and Kornell, SC and Drichel, D and Bonazzi, M and Möbus, L and Tarp, P and Susat, J and Bosse, E and Willburger, B and Schmidt, AH and Sauter, J and Franke, A and Wittig, M and Caliebe, A and Nothnagel, M and Schreiber, S and Boldsen, JL and Lenz, TL and Nebel, A},
title = {Ancient DNA study reveals HLA susceptibility locus for leprosy in medieval Europeans.},
journal = {Nature communications},
volume = {9},
number = {1},
pages = {1569},
doi = {10.1038/s41467-018-03857-x},
pmid = {29717136},
issn = {2041-1723},
abstract = {Leprosy, a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae), was very common in Europe till the 16th century. Here, we perform an ancient DNA study on medieval skeletons from Denmark that show lesions specific for lepromatous leprosy (LL). First, we test the remains for M. leprae DNA to confirm the infection status of the individuals and to assess the bacterial diversity. We assemble 10 complete M. leprae genomes that all differ from each other. Second, we evaluate whether the human leukocyte antigen allele DRB1*15:01, a strong LL susceptibility factor in modern populations, also predisposed medieval Europeans to the disease. The comparison of genotype data from 69 M. leprae DNA-positive LL cases with those from contemporary and medieval controls reveals a statistically significant association in both instances. In addition, we observe that DRB1*15:01 co-occurs with DQB1*06:02 on a haplotype that is a strong risk factor for inflammatory diseases today.},
}

@article {pmid29709200,
year = {2018},
author = {Cappellini, E and Prohaska, A and Racimo, F and Welker, F and Pedersen, MW and Allentoft, ME and de Barros Damgaard, P and Gutenbrunner, P and Dunne, J and Hammann, S and Roffet-Salque, M and Ilardo, M and Moreno-Mayar, JV and Wang, Y and Sikora, M and Vinner, L and Cox, J and Evershed, RP and Willerslev, E},
title = {Ancient Biomolecules and Evolutionary Inference.},
journal = {Annual review of biochemistry},
volume = {87},
number = {},
pages = {1029-1060},
doi = {10.1146/annurev-biochem-062917-012002},
pmid = {29709200},
issn = {1545-4509},
abstract = {Over the past three decades, studies of ancient biomolecules-particularly ancient DNA, proteins, and lipids-have revolutionized our understanding of evolutionary history. Though initially fraught with many challenges, today the field stands on firm foundations. Researchers now successfully retrieve nucleotide and amino acid sequences, as well as lipid signatures, from progressively older samples, originating from geographic areas and depositional environments that, until recently, were regarded as hostile to long-term preservation of biomolecules. Sampling frequencies and the spatial and temporal scope of studies have also increased markedly, and with them the size and quality of the data sets generated. This progress has been made possible by continuous technical innovations in analytical methods, enhanced criteria for the selection of ancient samples, integrated experimental methods, and advanced computational approaches. Here, we discuss the history and current state of ancient biomolecule research, its applications to evolutionary inference, and future directions for this young and exciting field.},
}

@article {pmid29706345,
year = {2018},
author = {Lindo, J and Rogers, M and Mallott, EK and Petzelt, B and Mitchell, J and Archer, D and Cybulski, JS and Malhi, RS and DeGiorgio, M},
title = {Patterns of Genetic Coding Variation in a Native American Population before and after European Contact.},
journal = {American journal of human genetics},
volume = {102},
number = {5},
pages = {806-815},
doi = {10.1016/j.ajhg.2018.03.008},
pmid = {29706345},
issn = {1537-6605},
abstract = {The effects of European colonization on the genomes of Native Americans may have produced excesses of potentially deleterious features, mainly due to the severe reductions in population size and corresponding losses of genetic diversity. This assumption, however, neither considers actual genomic patterns that existed before colonization nor does it adequately capture the effects of admixture. In this study, we analyze the whole-exome sequences of modern and ancient individuals from a Northwest Coast First Nation, with a demographic history similar to other indigenous populations from the Americas. We show that in approximately ten generations from initial European contact, the modern individuals exhibit reduced levels of novel and low-frequency variants, a lower proportion of potentially deleterious alleles, and decreased heterozygosity when compared to their ancestors. This pattern can be explained by a dramatic population decline, resulting in the loss of potentially damaging low-frequency variants, and subsequent admixture. We also find evidence that the indigenous population was on a steady decline in effective population size for several thousand years before contact, which emphasizes regional demography over the common conception of a uniform expansion after entry into the Americas. This study examines the genomic consequences of colonialism on an indigenous group and describes the continuing role of gene flow among modern populations.},
}

@article {pmid29694397,
year = {2018},
author = {Søe, MJ and Nejsum, P and Seersholm, FV and Fredensborg, BL and Habraken, R and Haase, K and Hald, MM and Simonsen, R and Højlund, F and Blanke, L and Merkyte, I and Willerslev, E and Kapel, CMO},
title = {Ancient DNA from latrines in Northern Europe and the Middle East (500 BC-1700 AD) reveals past parasites and diet.},
journal = {PloS one},
volume = {13},
number = {4},
pages = {e0195481},
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0195481},
pmid = {29694397},
issn = {1932-6203},
abstract = {High-resolution insight into parasitic infections and diet of past populations in Northern Europe and the Middle East (500 BC- 1700 AD) was obtained by pre-concentration of parasite eggs from ancient latrines and deposits followed by shotgun sequencing of DNA. Complementary profiling of parasite, vertebrate and plant DNA proved highly informative in the study of ancient health, human-animal interactions as well as animal and plant dietary components. Most prominent were finding of soil-borne parasites transmitted directly between humans, but also meat-borne parasites that require consumption of raw or undercooked fish and pork. The detection of parasites for which sheep, horse, dog, pig, and rodents serves as definitive hosts are clear markers of domestic and synanthropic animals living in closer proximity of the respective sites. Finally, the reconstruction of full mitochondrial parasite genomes from whipworm (Ascaris lumbricoides) and roundworm species (Trichuris trichiura and Trichuris muris) and estimates of haplotype frequencies elucidates the genetic diversity and provides insights into epidemiology and parasite biology.},
}

@article {pmid29684051,
year = {2018},
author = {Monroy Kuhn, JM and Jakobsson, M and Günther, T},
title = {Estimating genetic kin relationships in prehistoric populations.},
journal = {PloS one},
volume = {13},
number = {4},
pages = {e0195491},
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0195491},
pmid = {29684051},
issn = {1932-6203},
abstract = {Archaeogenomic research has proven to be a valuable tool to trace migrations of historic and prehistoric individuals and groups, whereas relationships within a group or burial site have not been investigated to a large extent. Knowing the genetic kinship of historic and prehistoric individuals would give important insights into social structures of ancient and historic cultures. Most archaeogenetic research concerning kinship has been restricted to uniparental markers, while studies using genome-wide information were mainly focused on comparisons between populations. Applications which infer the degree of relationship based on modern-day DNA information typically require diploid genotype data. Low concentration of endogenous DNA, fragmentation and other post-mortem damage to ancient DNA (aDNA) makes the application of such tools unfeasible for most archaeological samples. To infer family relationships for degraded samples, we developed the software READ (Relationship Estimation from Ancient DNA). We show that our heuristic approach can successfully infer up to second degree relationships with as little as 0.1x shotgun coverage per genome for pairs of individuals. We uncover previously unknown relationships among prehistoric individuals by applying READ to published aDNA data from several human remains excavated from different cultural contexts. In particular, we find a group of five closely related males from the same Corded Ware culture site in modern-day Germany, suggesting patrilocality, which highlights the possibility to uncover social structures of ancient populations by applying READ to genome-wide aDNA data. READ is publicly available from https://bitbucket.org/tguenther/read.},
}

@article {pmid29681138,
year = {2018},
author = {Li, J and Zhang, Y and Zhao, Y and Chen, Y and Ochir, A and Sarenbilige, and Zhu, H and Zhou, H},
title = {The genome of an ancient Rouran individual reveals an important paternal lineage in the Donghu population.},
journal = {American journal of physical anthropology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1002/ajpa.23491},
pmid = {29681138},
issn = {1096-8644},
abstract = {OBJECTIVES: Following the Xiongnu and Xianbei, the Rouran Khaganate (Rouran) was the third great nomadic tribe on the Mongolian Steppe. However, few human remains from this tribe are available for archaeologists and geneticists to study, as traces of the tombs of these nomadic people have rarely been found. In 2014, the IA-M1 remains (TL1) at the Khermen Tal site from the Rouran period were found by a Sino-Mongolian joint archaeological team in Mongolia, providing precious material for research into the genetic imprint of the Rouran.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The mtDNA hypervariable sequence I (HVS-I) and Y-chromosome SNPs were analyzed, and capture of the paternal non-recombining region of the Y chromosome (NRY) and whole-genome shotgun sequencing of TL1 were performed. The materials from three sites representing the three ancient nationalities (Donghu, Xianbei, and Shiwei) were selected for comparison with the TL1 individual.

RESULTS: The mitochondrial haplotype of the TL1 individual was D4b1a2a1. The Y-chromosome haplotype was C2b1a1b/F3830 (ISOGG 2015), which was the same as that of the other two ancient male nomadic samples (ZHS5 and GG3) related to the Xianbei and Shiwei, which were also detected as F3889; this haplotype was reported to be downstream of F3830 by Wei et al. ().

DISCUSSION: We conclude that F3889 downstream of F3830 is an important paternal lineage of the ancient Donghu nomads. The Donghu-Xianbei branch is expected to have made an important paternal genetic contribution to Rouran. This component of gene flow ultimately entered the gene pool of modern Mongolic- and Manchu-speaking populations.},
}

@article {pmid29674573,
year = {2018},
author = {Wade, L},
title = {Ancient DNA untangles South Asian roots.},
journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
volume = {360},
number = {6386},
pages = {252},
doi = {10.1126/science.360.6386.252},
pmid = {29674573},
issn = {1095-9203},
mesh = {Asia, Southeastern/ethnology ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group/*ethnology/*genetics ; *Biological Evolution ; *DNA, Ancient ; Humans ; },
}

Asia, Southeastern/ethnology
Asian Continental Ancestry Group/*ethnology/*genetics
*Biological Evolution
*DNA, Ancient
Humans

@article {pmid29653594,
year = {2018},
author = {Hammer, SE and Tautscher, B and Pucher, E and Kowarik, K and Reschreiter, H and Kern, A and Haring, E},
title = {Bronze Age meat industry: ancient mitochondrial DNA analyses of pig bones from the prehistoric salt mines of Hallstatt (Austria).},
journal = {BMC research notes},
volume = {11},
number = {1},
pages = {243},
doi = {10.1186/s13104-018-3340-7},
pmid = {29653594},
issn = {1756-0500},
abstract = {OBJECTIVE: In the Bronze Age Hallstatt metropolis ('Salzkammergut' region, Upper Austria), salt richness enabled the preservation of pork meat to sustain people's livelihood suggesting an organized meat production industry on a yearly basis of hundreds of pigs. To pattern the geographic and temporal framework of the early management of pig populations in the surrounding areas of Hallstatt, we want to gain insights into the phylogeographic network based on DNA sequence variation among modern pigs, wild boars and prehistoric (likely) domestic pigs.

RESULTS: In this pilot study, we successfully adapted ancient DNA extraction and sequencing approaches for the analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequence variation in ten prehistoric porcine teeth specimens. Minimum-spanning network analyses revealed unique mitochondrial control region DNA haplotypes ranging within the variation of modern domestic pig and wild boar lineages and even shared haplotypes between prehistoric and modern domestic pigs and wild boars were observed.},
}

@article {pmid29642393,
year = {2018},
author = {Sheng, GL and Barlow, A and Cooper, A and Hou, XD and Ji, XP and Jablonski, NG and Zhong, BJ and Liu, H and Flynn, LJ and Yuan, JX and Wang, LR and Basler, N and Westbury, MV and Hofreiter, M and Lai, XL},
title = {Ancient DNA from Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) of South-Western China Reveals Genetic Diversity Loss during the Holocene.},
journal = {Genes},
volume = {9},
number = {4},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/genes9040198},
pmid = {29642393},
issn = {2073-4425},
abstract = {The giant panda was widely distributed in China and south-eastern Asia during the middle to late Pleistocene, prior to its habitat becoming rapidly reduced in the Holocene. While conservation reserves have been established and population numbers of the giant panda have recently increased, the interpretation of its genetic diversity remains controversial. Previous analyses, surprisingly, have indicated relatively high levels of genetic diversity raising issues concerning the efficiency and usefulness of reintroducing individuals from captive populations. However, due to a lack of DNA data from fossil specimens, it is unknown whether genetic diversity was even higher prior to the most recent population decline. We amplified complete cytb and 12s rRNA, partial 16s rRNA and ND1, and control region sequences from the mitochondrial genomes of two Holocene panda specimens. We estimated genetic diversity and population demography by analyzing the ancient mitochondrial DNA sequences alongside those from modern giant pandas, as well as from other members of the bear family (Ursidae). Phylogenetic analyses show that one of the ancient haplotypes is sister to all sampled modern pandas and the second ancient individual is nested among the modern haplotypes, suggesting that genetic diversity may indeed have been higher earlier during the Holocene. Bayesian skyline plot analysis supports this view and indicates a slight decline in female effective population size starting around 6000 years B.P., followed by a recovery around 2000 years ago. Therefore, while the genetic diversity of the giant panda has been affected by recent habitat contraction, it still harbors substantial genetic diversity. Moreover, while its still low population numbers require continued conservation efforts, there seem to be no immediate threats from the perspective of genetic evolutionary potential.},
}

@article {pmid29618519,
year = {2018},
author = {Thomson, VA and Mitchell, KJ and Eberhard, R and Dortch, J and Austin, JJ and Cooper, A},
title = {Genetic diversity and drivers of dwarfism in extinct island emu populations.},
journal = {Biology letters},
volume = {14},
number = {4},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1098/rsbl.2017.0617},
pmid = {29618519},
issn = {1744-957X},
abstract = {Australia's iconic emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae novaehollandiae) is the only living representative of its genus, but fossil evidence and reports from early European explorers suggest that three island forms (at least two of which were dwarfs) became extinct during the nineteenth century. While one of these-the King Island emu-has been found to be conspecific with Australian mainland emus, little is known about how the other two forms-Kangaroo Island and Tasmanian emus-relate to the others, or even the size of Tasmanian emus. We present a comprehensive genetic and morphological analysis of Dromaius diversity, including data from one of the few definitively genuine Tasmanian emu specimens known. Our genetic analyses suggest that all the island populations represent sub-populations of mainland Dnovaehollandiae Further, the size of island emus and those on the mainland appears to scale linearly with island size but not time since isolation, suggesting that island size-and presumably concomitant limitations on resource availability-may be a more important driver of dwarfism in island emus, though its precise contribution to emu dwarfism remains to be confirmed.},
}

@article {pmid29610337,
year = {2018},
author = {Ponce de León, MS and Koesbardiati, T and Weissmann, JD and Milella, M and Reyna-Blanco, CS and Suwa, G and Kondo, O and Malaspinas, AS and White, TD and Zollikofer, CPE},
title = {Human bony labyrinth is an indicator of population history and dispersal from Africa.},
journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
volume = {115},
number = {16},
pages = {4128-4133},
doi = {10.1073/pnas.1717873115},
pmid = {29610337},
issn = {1091-6490},
abstract = {The dispersal of modern humans from Africa is now well documented with genetic data that track population history, as well as gene flow between populations. Phenetic skeletal data, such as cranial and pelvic morphologies, also exhibit a dispersal-from-Africa signal, which, however, tends to be blurred by the effects of local adaptation and in vivo phenotypic plasticity, and that is often deteriorated by postmortem damage to skeletal remains. These complexities raise the question of which skeletal structures most effectively track neutral population history. The cavity system of the inner ear (the so-called bony labyrinth) is a good candidate structure for such analyses. It is already fully formed by birth, which minimizes postnatal phenotypic plasticity, and it is generally well preserved in archaeological samples. Here we use morphometric data of the bony labyrinth to show that it is a surprisingly good marker of the global dispersal of modern humans from Africa. Labyrinthine morphology tracks genetic distances and geography in accordance with an isolation-by-distance model with dispersal from Africa. Our data further indicate that the neutral-like pattern of variation is compatible with stabilizing selection on labyrinth morphology. Given the increasingly important role of the petrous bone for ancient DNA recovery from archaeological specimens, we encourage researchers to acquire 3D morphological data of the inner ear structures before any invasive sampling. Such data will constitute an important archive of phenotypic variation in present and past populations, and will permit individual-based genotype-phenotype comparisons.},
}

@article {pmid29609050,
year = {2018},
author = {Gallello, G and Cilli, E and Bartoli, F and Andretta, M and Calcagnile, L and Pastor, A and de la Guardia, M and Serventi, P and Marino, A and Benazzi, S and Gruppioni, G},
title = {Poisoning histories in the Italian renaissance: The case of Pico Della Mirandola and Angelo Poliziano.},
journal = {Journal of forensic and legal medicine},
volume = {56},
number = {},
pages = {83-89},
doi = {10.1016/j.jflm.2018.03.016},
pmid = {29609050},
issn = {1878-7487},
mesh = {Arsenic/*analysis ; Arsenic Poisoning/*history ; Bone and Bones/*chemistry ; Carbon Radioisotopes ; DNA, Ancient ; Environmental Exposure/adverse effects ; Forensic Toxicology ; History, 15th Century ; Humans ; Italy ; Male ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Mummies ; Spectrum Analysis/methods ; },
abstract = {Giovanni Pico della Mirandola and Angelo Poliziano were two of the most important humanists of the Italian Renaissance. They died suddenly in 1494 and their deaths have been for centuries a subject of debate. The exhumation of their remains offered the opportunity to study the cause of their death through a multidisciplinary research project. Anthropological analyses, together with documentary evidences, radiocarbon dating and ancient DNA analysis supported the identification of the remains attributed to Pico. Macroscopic examination did not reveal paleopathological lesions or signs related to syphilis. Heavy metals analysis, carried out on bones and mummified tissues, showed that in Pico's remains there were potentially lethal levels of arsenic, supporting the philosopher's poisoning theory reported by documentary sources. The arsenic concentrations obtained from analysis of Poliziano's remains, are probably more related to an As chronic exposure or diagenetic processes rather than poisoning.},
}

Arsenic/*analysis
Arsenic Poisoning/*history
Bone and Bones/*chemistry
Carbon Radioisotopes
DNA, Ancient
Environmental Exposure/adverse effects
Forensic Toxicology
History, 15th Century
Humans
Italy
Male
Microscopy
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Mummies
Spectrum Analysis/methods

@article {pmid29608962,
year = {2018},
author = {Bover, P and Mitchell, KJ and Llamas, B and Rofes, J and Thomson, VA and Cuenca-Bescós, G and Alcover, JA and Cooper, A and Pons, J},
title = {Molecular phylogenetics supports the origin of an endemic Balearic shrew lineage (Nesiotites) coincident with the Messinian Salinity Crisis.},
journal = {Molecular phylogenetics and evolution},
volume = {125},
number = {},
pages = {188-195},
doi = {10.1016/j.ympev.2018.03.028},
pmid = {29608962},
issn = {1095-9513},
abstract = {The red-toothed shrews (Soricinae) are the most widespread subfamily of shrews, distributed from northern South America to North America and Eurasia. Within this subfamily, the tribe Nectogalini includes the fossil species Nesiotites hidalgo recorded from the Late Pleistocene to Holocene of the Balearic Islands (Western Mediterranean). Although there is a consensus about the close relationship between the extinct red-toothed shrew genera Nesiotites and Asoriculus based on morphology, molecular data are necessary to further evaluate the phylogenetic relationships of the Balearic fossils. We obtained a near complete mitochondrial genome of N. hidalgo, allowing the first molecular phylogenetic analysis of this species. Analyses based on 15,167 bp of the mitochondrial genome placed N. hidalgo as close relative to the extant Himalayan shrew (Soriculus nigrescens), and a combined analysis using molecular and morphological data confirm that N. hidalgo and Asoriculus gibberodon are sister-taxa with S. nigrescens as the immediate outgroup. Molecular clock and divergence estimates suggest that the split between N. hidalgo and its closest living relative occurred around 6.44 Ma, which is in agreement with the previously proposed colonisation of the Balearic Islands from mainland Europe by nectogaline shrews during the Messinian Salinity Crisis (5.97-5.33 My ago). Our results highlight that it is possible to retrieve genetic data from extinct small mammals from marginal environments for DNA preservation. Additional finds from the fossil record of Soricinae from the Eurasian Late Miocene/Early Pliocene are needed to shed further light on the still confusing taxonomy and paleobiogeography of this clade.},
}

@article {pmid29607481,
year = {2018},
author = {Russo, MG and Mendisco, F and Avena, SA and Crespo, CM and Arencibia, V and Dejean, CB and Seldes, V},
title = {Ancient DNA reveals temporal population structure within the South-Central Andes area.},
journal = {American journal of physical anthropology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1002/ajpa.23475},
pmid = {29607481},
issn = {1096-8644},
abstract = {OBJECTIVES: The main aim of this work was to contribute to the knowledge of pre-Hispanic genetic variation and population structure among the South-central Andes Area by studying individuals from Quebrada de Humahuaca, North-western (NW) Argentina.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed 15 autosomal STRs in 19 individuals from several archaeological sites in Quebrada de Humahuaca, belonging to the Regional Developments Period (900-1430 AD). Compiling autosomal, mitochondrial, and Y-chromosome data, we evaluated population structure and differentiation among eight South-central Andean groups from the current territories of NW Argentina and Peru.

RESULTS: Autosomal data revealed a structuring of the analyzed populations into two clusters which seemed to represent different temporalities in the Andean pre-Hispanic history: pre-Inca and Inca. All pre-Inca samples fell into the same cluster despite being from the two different territories of NW Argentina and Peru. Also, they were systematically differentiated from the Peruvian Inca group. These results were mostly confirmed by mitochondrial and Y-chromosome analyses. We mainly found a clearly different haplotype composition between clusters.

DISCUSSION: Population structure in South America has been mostly studied on current native groups, mainly showing a west-to-east differentiation between the Andean and lowland regions. Here we demonstrated that genetic population differentiation preceded the European contact and might have been more complex than thought, being found within the South-central Andes Area. Moreover, divergence among temporally different populations might be reflecting socio-political changes occurred in the evermore complex pre-Hispanic Andean societies.},
}

@article {pmid29607044,
year = {2018},
author = {Margaryan, A and Hansen, HB and Rasmussen, S and Sikora, M and Moiseyev, V and Khoklov, A and Epimakhov, A and Yepiskoposyan, L and Kriiska, A and Varul, L and Saag, L and Lynnerup, N and Willerslev, E and Allentoft, ME},
title = {Ancient pathogen DNA in human teeth and petrous bones.},
journal = {Ecology and evolution},
volume = {8},
number = {6},
pages = {3534-3542},
doi = {10.1002/ece3.3924},
pmid = {29607044},
issn = {2045-7758},
abstract = {Recent ancient DNA (aDNA) studies of human pathogens have provided invaluable insights into their evolutionary history and prevalence in space and time. Most of these studies were based on DNA extracted from teeth or postcranial bones. In contrast, no pathogen DNA has been reported from the petrous bone which has become the most desired skeletal element in ancient DNA research due to its high endogenous DNA content. To compare the potential for pathogenic aDNA retrieval from teeth and petrous bones, we sampled these elements from five ancient skeletons, previously shown to be carrying Yersinia pestis. Based on shotgun sequencing data, four of these five plague victims showed clearly detectable levels of Y. pestis DNA in the teeth, whereas all the petrous bones failed to produce Y. pestis DNA above baseline levels. A broader comparative metagenomic analysis of teeth and petrous bones from 10 historical skeletons corroborated these results, showing a much higher microbial diversity in teeth than petrous bones, including pathogenic and oral microbial taxa. Our results imply that although petrous bones are highly valuable for ancient genomic analyses as an excellent source of endogenous DNA, the metagenomic potential of these dense skeletal elements is highly limited. This trade-off must be considered when designing the sampling strategy for an aDNA project.},
}

@article {pmid29603124,
year = {2018},
author = {Nieves-Colón, MA and Ozga, AT and Pestle, WJ and Cucina, A and Tiesler, V and Stanton, TW and Stone, AC},
title = {Comparison of two ancient DNA extraction protocols for skeletal remains from tropical environments.},
journal = {American journal of physical anthropology},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1002/ajpa.23472},
pmid = {29603124},
issn = {1096-8644},
abstract = {OBJECTIVES: The tropics harbor a large part of the world's biodiversity and have a long history of human habitation. However, paleogenomics research in these climates has been constrained so far by poor ancient DNA yields. Here we compare the performance of two DNA extraction methods on ancient samples of teeth and petrous portions excavated from tropical and semi-tropical sites in Tanzania, Mexico, and Puerto Rico (N = 12).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: All samples were extracted twice, built into double-stranded sequencing libraries, and shotgun sequenced on the Illumina HiSeq 2500. The first extraction protocol, Method D, was previously designed for recovery of ultrashort DNA fragments from skeletal remains. The second, Method H, modifies the first by adding an initial EDTA wash and an extended digestion and decalcification step.

RESULTS: No significant difference was found in overall ancient DNA yields or post-mortem damage patterns recovered from samples extracted with either method, irrespective of tissue type. However, Method H samples had higher endogenous content and more mapped reads after quality-filtering, but also higher clonality. In contrast, samples extracted with Method D had shorter average DNA fragments.

DISCUSSION: Both methods successfully recovered endogenous ancient DNA. But, since surviving DNA in ancient or historic remains from tropical contexts is extremely fragmented, our results suggest that Method D is the optimal choice for working with samples from warm and humid environments. Additional optimization of extraction conditions and further testing of Method H with different types of samples may allow for improvement of this protocol in the future.},
}

@article {pmid29595789,
year = {2018},
author = {},
title = {On the use and abuse of ancient DNA.},
journal = {Nature},
volume = {555},
number = {7698},
pages = {559},
doi = {10.1038/d41586-018-03857-3},
pmid = {29595789},
issn = {1476-4687},
}

@article {pmid29595343,
year = {2018},
author = {Collier, A and Carr, SM},
title = {On the persistence and detectability of ancient Beothuk mitochondrial DNA genomes in living First Nations peoples.},
journal = {Mitochondrial DNA. Part A, DNA mapping, sequencing, and analysis},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {1-7},
doi = {10.1080/24701394.2018.1455190},
pmid = {29595343},
issn = {2470-1408},
abstract = {Claims have long been made as to the survival to the present day of descendants of the Newfoundland Beothuk, a group generally accepted to have become extinct with the death of the last known member, Shanawdithit, in 1829. Interest has recently been revived by the availability of commercial genetic testing, which some claim can assign living individuals to specific Native American groups. We compare complete mitogenome sequences (16569 bp) from aDNA of eight distinct Beothuk lineages, including Shanawdithit's uncle Nonosabasut and his wife Demasduit, with three Newfoundland Mi'kmaq lineages and 21 other living Native Americans drawn from GenBank. A Newfoundland Mi'kmaq lineage in Haplogroup A is more similar to three Native Americans (1-3 SNPs) than to the most closely related Beothuk (24 SNPs). Nonosabasut in Haplogroup X is identical to a non-Beothuk Native American. Demasduit in Haplogroup C differs from three other Native Americans by 1-4 substitutions. Within a 2168 bp region of the HVS sequences available from living Mi'kmaq of the Miawpukek First Nation in Newfoundland, lineages in Haplogroups C, X, and A differ by 1, 4, and 8 substitutions, from the most similar Beothuk, and are more similar to other Native Americans. MtDNA genome sequences in living persons identical or similar to those of Beothuk do not necessarily indicate Beothuk ancestry. Mi'kmaq lineages cannot at this time be associated with any Beothuk lineages more closely than those of other Native Americans.},
}

@article {pmid29590067,
year = {2018},
author = {Potter, BA and Beaudoin, AB and Haynes, CV and Holliday, VT and Holmes, CE and Ives, JW and Kelly, R and Llamas, B and Malhi, R and Miller, S and Reich, D and Reuther, JD and Schiffels, S and Surovell, T},
title = {Arrival routes of first Americans uncertain.},
journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
volume = {359},
number = {6381},
pages = {1224-1225},
doi = {10.1126/science.aar8233},
pmid = {29590067},
issn = {1095-9203},
mesh = {Archaeology ; *Human Migration ; Humans ; North America ; },
}

Archaeology
*Human Migration
Humans
North America

@article {pmid29588507,
year = {2018},
author = {Baca, M and Popović, D and Panagiotopoulou, H and Marciszak, A and Krajcarz, M and Krajcarz, MT and Makowiecki, D and Węgleński, P and Nadachowski, A},
title = {Human-mediated dispersal of cats in the Neolithic Central Europe.},
journal = {Heredity},
volume = {},
number = {},
pages = {},
doi = {10.1038/s41437-018-0071-4},
pmid = {29588507},
issn = {1365-2540},
abstract = {Archeological and genetic evidence suggest that all domestic cats derived from the Near Eastern wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica) and were first domesticated in the Near East around 10,000 years ago. The spread of the domesticated form in Europe occurred much later, primarily mediated by Greek and Phoenician traders and afterward by Romans who introduced cats to Western and Central Europe around 2000 years ago. We investigated mtDNA of Holocene Felis remains and provide evidence of an unexpectedly early presence of cats bearing the Near Eastern wildcat mtDNA haplotypes in Central Europe, being ahead of Roman period by over 2000 years. The appearance of the Near Eastern wildcats in Central Europe coincides with the peak of Neolithic settlement density, moreover most of those cats belonged to the same mtDNA lineages as those domesticated in the Near East. Thus, although we cannot fully exclude that the Near Eastern wildcats appeared in Central Europe as a result of introgression with European wildcat, our findings support the hypothesis that the Near Eastern wildcats spread across Europe together with the first farmers, perhaps as commensal animals. We also found that cats dated to the Neolithic period belonged to different mtDNA lineages than those brought to Central Europe in Roman times, this supports the hypothesis that the gene pool of contemporary European domestic cats might have been established from two different source populations that contributed in different periods.},
}

@article {pmid29581591,
year = {2018},
author = {Hendy, J and Welker, F and Demarchi, B and Speller, C and Warinner, C and Collins, MJ},
title = {A guide to ancient protein studies.},
journal = {Nature ecology & evolution},
volume = {2},
number = {5},
pages = {791-799},
doi = {10.1038/s41559-018-0510-x},
pmid = {29581591},
issn = {2397-334X},
abstract = {Palaeoproteomics is an emerging neologism used to describe the application of mass spectrometry-based approaches to the study of ancient proteomes. As with palaeogenomics (the study of ancient DNA), it intersects evolutionary biology, archaeology and anthropology, with applications ranging from the phylogenetic reconstruction of extinct species to the investigation of past human diets and ancient diseases. However, there is no explicit consensus at present regarding standards for data reporting, data validation measures or the use of suitable contamination controls in ancient protein studies. Additionally, in contrast to the ancient DNA community, no consolidated guidelines have been proposed by which researchers, reviewers and editors can evaluate palaeoproteomics data, in part due to the novelty of the field. Here we present a series of precautions and standards for ancient protein research that can be implemented at each stage of analysis, from sample selection to data interpretation. These guidelines are not intended to impose a narrow or rigid list of authentication criteria, but rather to support good practices in the field and to ensure the generation of robust, reproducible results. As the field grows and methodologies change, so too will best practices. It is therefore essential that researchers continue to provide necessary details on how data were generated and authenticated so that the results can be independently and effectively evaluated. We hope that these proposed standards of practice will help to provide a firm foundation for the establishment of palaeoproteomics as a viable and powerful tool for archaeologists, anthropologists and evolutionary biologists.},
}

@article {pmid29576952,
year = {2018},
author = {McGuire, JA and Cotoras, DD and O'Connell, B and Lawalata, SZS and Wang-Claypool, CY and Stubbs, A and Huang, X and Wogan, GOU and Hykin, SM and Reilly, SB and Bi, K and Riyanto, A and Arida, E and Smith, LL and Milne, H and Streicher, JW and Iskandar, DT},
title = {Squeezing water from a stone: high-throughput sequencing from a 145-year old holotype resolves (barely) a cryptic species problem in flying lizards.},
journal = {PeerJ},
volume = {6},
number = {},
pages = {e4470},
doi = {10.7717/peerj.4470},
pmid = {29576952},
issn = {2167-8359},
abstract = {We used Massively Parallel High-Throughput Sequencing to obtain genetic data from a 145-year old holotype specimen of the flying lizard, Draco cristatellus. Obtaining genetic data from this holotype was necessary to resolve an otherwise intractable taxonomic problem involving the status of this species relative to closely related sympatric Draco species that cannot otherwise be distinguished from one another on the basis of museum specimens. Initial analyses suggested that the DNA present in the holotype sample was so degraded as to be unusable for sequencing. However, we used a specialized extraction procedure developed for highly degraded ancient DNA samples and MiSeq shotgun sequencing to obtain just enough low-coverage mitochondrial DNA (721 base pairs) to conclusively resolve the species status of the holotype as well as a second known specimen of this species. The holotype was prepared before the advent of formalin-fixation and therefore was most likely originally fixed with ethanol and never exposed to formalin. Whereas conventional wisdom suggests that formalin-fixed samples should be the most challenging for DNA sequencing, we propose that evaporation during long-term alcohol storage and consequent water-exposure may subject older ethanol-fixed museum specimens to hydrolytic damage. If so, this may pose an even greater challenge for sequencing efforts involving historical samples.},
}

@article {pmid29557324,
year = {2018},
author = {Wood, JR},
title = {DNA barcoding of ancient parasites.},
journal = {Parasitology},
volume = {145},
number = {5},
pages = {646-655},
doi = {10.1017/S0031182018000380},
pmid = {29557324},
issn = {1469-8161},
abstract = {SUMMARYAncient samples present a number of technical challenges for DNA barcoding, including damaged DNA with low endogenous copy number and short fragment lengths. Nevertheless, techniques are available to overcome these issues, and DNA barcoding has now been used to successfully recover parasite DNA from a wide variety of ancient substrates, including coprolites, cesspit sediment, mummified tissues, burial sediments and permafrost soils. The study of parasite DNA from ancient samples can provide a number of unique scientific insights, for example: (1) into the parasite communities and health of prehistoric human populations; (2) the ability to reconstruct the natural parasite faunas of rare or extinct host species, which has implications for conservation management and de-extinction; and (3) the ability to view in 'real-time' processes that may operate over century- or millenial-timescales, such as how parasites responded to past climate change events or how they co-evolved alongside their hosts. The application of DNA metabarcoding and high-throughput sequencing to ancient specimens has so far been limited, but in future promises great potential for gaining empirical data on poorly understood processes such as parasite co-extinction.},
}

@article {pmid29545507,
year = {2018},
author = {van de Loosdrecht, M and Bouzouggar, A and Humphrey, L and Posth, C and Barton, N and Aximu-Petri, A and Nickel, B and Nagel, S and Talbi, EH and El Hajraoui, MA and Amzazi, S and Hublin, JJ and Pääbo, S and Schiffels, S and Meyer, M and Haak, W and Jeong, C and Krause, J},
title = {Pleistocene North African genomes link Near Eastern and sub-Saharan African human populations.},
journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
volume = {360},
number = {6388},
pages = {548-552},
doi = {10.1126/science.aar8380},
pmid = {29545507},
issn = {1095-9203},
mesh = {Africa South of the Sahara ; Africa, Northern ; African Continental Ancestry Group/*genetics ; Animals ; DNA, Ancient ; European Continental Ancestry Group ; *Evolution, Molecular ; Female ; Gene Flow ; *Genome, Human ; *Genome, Mitochondrial ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Humans ; Mice ; Middle East ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; },
abstract = {North Africa is a key region for understanding human history, but the genetic history of its people is largely unknown. We present genomic data from seven 15,000-year-old modern humans, attributed to the Iberomaurusian culture, from Morocco. We find a genetic affinity with early Holocene Near Easterners, best represented by Levantine Natufians, suggesting a pre-agricultural connection between Africa and the Near East. We do not find evidence for gene flow from Paleolithic Europeans to Late Pleistocene North Africans. The Taforalt individuals derive one-third of their ancestry from sub-Saharan Africans, best approximated by a mixture of genetic components preserved in present-day West and East Africans. Thus, we provide direct evidence for genetic interactions between modern humans across Africa and Eurasia in the Pleistocene.},
}

Africa South of the Sahara
Africa, Northern
African Continental Ancestry Group/*genetics
Animals
DNA, Ancient
European Continental Ancestry Group
*Evolution, Molecular
Female
Gene Flow
*Genome, Human
*Genome, Mitochondrial
Genome-Wide Association Study
Humans
Mice
Middle East
Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

@article {pmid29538397,
year = {2018},
author = {Royle, TCA and Sakhrani, D and Speller, CF and Butler, VL and Devlin, RH and Cannon, A and Yang, DY},
title = {An efficient and reliable DNA-based sex identification method for archaeological Pacific salmonid (Oncorhynchus spp.) remains.},
journal = {PloS one},
volume = {13},
number = {3},
pages = {e0193212},
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0193212},
pmid = {29538397},
issn = {1932-6203},
mesh = {Animals ; Archaeology ; CLOCK Proteins/genetics ; DNA/chemistry/isolation & purification/*metabolism ; Female ; Fossils ; Male ; Oncorhynchus/genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reproducibility of Results ; Y Chromosome/*genetics ; },
abstract = {Pacific salmonid (Oncorhynchus spp.) remains are routinely recovered from archaeological sites in northwestern North America but typically lack sexually dimorphic features, precluding the sex identification of these remains through morphological approaches. Consequently, little is known about the deep history of the sex-selective salmonid fishing strategies practiced by some of the region's Indigenous peoples. Here, we present a DNA-based method for the sex identification of archaeological Pacific salmonid remains that integrates two PCR assays that each co-amplify fragments of the sexually dimorphic on the Y chromosome (sdY) gene and an internal positive control (Clock1a or D-loop). The first assay co-amplifies a 95 bp fragment of sdY and a 108 bp fragment of the autosomal Clock1a gene, whereas the second assay co-amplifies the same sdY fragment and a 249 bp fragment of the mitochondrial D-loop region. This method's reliability, sensitivity, and efficiency, were evaluated by applying it to 72 modern Pacific salmonids from five species and 75 archaeological remains from six Pacific salmonids. The sex identities assigned to each of the modern samples were concordant with their known phenotypic sex, highlighting the method's reliability. Applications of the method to dilutions of modern DNA samples indicate it can correctly identify the sex of samples with as little as ~39 pg of total genomic DNA. The successful sex identification of 70 of the 75 (93%) archaeological samples further demonstrates the method's sensitivity. The method's reliance on two co-amplifications that preferentially amplify sdY helps validate the sex identities assigned to samples and reduce erroneous identifications caused by allelic dropout and contamination. Furthermore, by sequencing the D-loop fragment used as a positive control, species-level and sex identifications can be simultaneously assigned to samples. Overall, our results indicate the DNA-based method reported in this study is a sensitive and reliable sex identification method for ancient salmonid remains.},
}

Animals
Archaeology
CLOCK Proteins/genetics
DNA/chemistry/isolation & purification/*metabolism
Female
Fossils
Male
Oncorhynchus/genetics
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Reproducibility of Results
Y Chromosome/*genetics

@article {pmid29533977,
year = {2018},
author = {Taron, UH and Lell, M and Barlow, A and Paijmans, JLA},
title = {Testing of Alignment Parameters for Ancient Samples: Evaluating and Optimizing Mapping Parameters for Ancient Samples Using the TAPAS Tool.},
journal = {Genes},
volume = {9},
number = {3},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/genes9030157},
pmid = {29533977},
issn = {2073-4425},
abstract = {High-throughput sequence data retrieved from ancient or other degraded samples has led to unprecedented insights into the evolutionary history of many species, but the analysis of such sequences also poses specific computational challenges. The most commonly used approach involves mapping sequence reads to a reference genome. However, this process becomes increasingly challenging with an elevated genetic distance between target and reference or with the presence of contaminant sequences with high sequence similarity to the target species. The evaluation and testing of mapping efficiency and stringency are thus paramount for the reliable identification and analysis of ancient sequences. In this paper, we present 'TAPAS', (Testing of Alignment Parameters for Ancient Samples), a computational tool that enables the systematic testing of mapping tools for ancient data by simulating sequence data reflecting the properties of an ancient dataset and performing test runs using the mapping software and parameter settings of interest. We showcase TAPAS by using it to assess and improve mapping strategy for a degraded sample from a banded linsang (Prionodon linsang), for which no closely related reference is currently available. This enables a 1.8-fold increase of the number of mapped reads without sacrificing mapping specificity. The increase of mapped reads effectively reduces the need for additional sequencing, thus making more economical use of time, resources, and sample material.},
}

@article {pmid29526494,
year = {2018},
author = {Jones, ED},
title = {Ancient DNA: a history of the science before Jurassic Park.},
journal = {Studies in history and philosophy of biological and biomedical sciences},
volume = {68-69},
number = {},
pages = {1-14},
doi = {10.1016/j.shpsc.2018.02.001},
pmid = {29526494},
issn = {1879-2499},
}

@article {pmid29525222,
year = {2018},
author = {Saiz, M and Álvarez-Cubero, MJ and Martinez-Gonzalez, LJ and Álvarez, JC and Lorente, JA},
title = {Corrigendum to "Population genetic data of 38 insertion-deletion markers in South East Spanish population" [Forensic Sci. Int.: Genet. (2014) 236-238].},
journal = {Forensic science international. Genetics},
volume = {34},
number = {},
pages = {e25},
doi = {10.1016/j.fsigen.2018.02.021},
pmid = {29525222},
issn = {1878-0326},
}

@article {pmid29522562,
year = {2018},
author = {Hamilton-Brehm, SD and Hristova, LT and Edwards, SR and Wedding, JR and Snow, M and Kruger, BR and Moser, DP},
title = {Ancient human mitochondrial DNA and radiocarbon analysis of archived quids from the Mule Spring Rockshelter, Nevada, USA.},
journal = {PloS one},
volume = {13},
number = {3},
pages = {e0194223},
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0194223},
pmid = {29522562},
issn = {1932-6203},
mesh = {Archaeology ; *Carbon Radioisotopes ; *DNA, Ancient ; *DNA, Mitochondrial ; Evolution, Molecular ; Genetic Variation ; Humans ; Nevada ; Population Dynamics ; *Radiometric Dating ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; },
abstract = {Chewed and expectorated quids, indigestible stringy fibers from the roasted inner pulp of agave or yucca root, have proven resilient over long periods of time in dry cave environments and correspondingly, although little studied, are common in archaeological archives. In the late 1960s, thousands of quids were recovered from Mule Spring Rockshelter (Nevada, USA) deposits and stored without consideration to DNA preservation in a museum collection, remaining unstudied for over fifty years. To assess the utility of these materials as repositories for genetic information about past inhabitants of the region and their movements, twenty-one quids were selected from arbitrary excavation depths for detailed analysis. Human mitochondrial DNA sequences from the quids were amplified by PCR and screened for diagnostic single nucleotide polymorphisms. Most detected single nucleotide polymorphisms were consistent with recognized Native American haplogroup subclades B2a5, B2i1, C1, C1c, C1c2, and D1; with the majority of the sample set consistent with subclades C1, C1c, and C1c2. In parallel with the DNA analysis, each quid was radiocarbon dated, revealing a time-resolved pattern of occupancy from 347 to 977 calibrated years before present. In particular, this dataset reveals strong evidence for the presence of haplogroup C1/C1c at the Southwestern edge of the US Great Basin from ~670 to 980 cal YBP, which may temporally correspond with the beginnings of the so-called Numic Spread into the region. The research described here demonstrates an approach which combines targeted DNA analysis with radiocarbon age dating; thus enabling the genetic analysis of archaeological materials of uncertain stratigraphic context. Here we present a survey of the maternal genetic profiles from people who used the Mule Spring Rockshelter and the historic timing of their utilization of a key natural resource.},
}

Archaeology
*Carbon Radioisotopes
*DNA, Ancient
*DNA, Mitochondrial
Evolution, Molecular
Genetic Variation
Humans
Nevada
Population Dynamics
*Radiometric Dating
Sequence Analysis, DNA

@article {pmid29515143,
year = {2018},
author = {Korlević, P and Talamo, S and Meyer, M},
title = {A combined method for DNA analysis and radiocarbon dating from a single sample.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
volume = {8},
number = {1},
pages = {4127},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-018-22472-w},
pmid = {29515143},
issn = {2045-2322},
abstract = {Current protocols for ancient DNA and radiocarbon analysis of ancient bones and teeth call for multiple destructive samplings of a given specimen, thereby increasing the extent of undesirable damage to precious archaeological material. Here we present a method that makes it possible to obtain both ancient DNA sequences and radiocarbon dates from the same sample material. This is achieved by releasing DNA from the bone matrix through incubation with either EDTA or phosphate buffer prior to complete demineralization and collagen extraction utilizing the acid-base-acid-gelatinization and ultrafiltration procedure established in most radiocarbon dating laboratories. Using a set of 12 bones of different ages and preservation conditions we demonstrate that on average 89% of the DNA can be released from sample powder with minimal, or 38% without any, detectable collagen loss. We also detect no skews in radiocarbon dates compared to untreated samples. Given the different material demands for radiocarbon dating (500 mg of bone/dentine) and DNA analysis (10-100 mg), combined DNA and collagen extraction not only streamlines the sampling process but also drastically increases the amount of DNA that can be recovered from limited sample material.},
}

@article {pmid29511572,
year = {2018},
author = {Duchêne, S and Holmes, EC},
title = {Estimating evolutionary rates in giant viruses using ancient genomes.},
journal = {Virus evolution},
volume = {4},
number = {1},
pages = {vey006},
doi = {10.1093/ve/vey006},
pmid = {29511572},
issn = {2057-1577},
abstract = {Pithovirus sibericum is a giant (610 Kpb) double-stranded DNA virus discovered in a purportedly 30,000-year-old permafrost sample. A closely related virus, Pithovirus massiliensis, was recently isolated from a sewer in southern France. An initial comparison of these two virus genomes assumed that P. sibericum was directly ancestral to P. massiliensis and gave a maximum evolutionary rate of 2.60 × 10-5 nucleotide substitutions per site per year (subs/site/year). If correct, this would make pithoviruses among the fastest-evolving DNA viruses, with rates close to those seen in some RNA viruses. To help determine whether this unusually high rate is accurate we utilized the well-known negative association between evolutionary rate and genome size in DNA microbes. This revealed that a more plausible rate estimate for Pithovirus evolution is ∼2.23 × 10-6 subs/site/year, with even lower estimates obtained if evolutionary rates are assumed to be time-dependent. Hence, we estimate that Pithovirus has evolved at least an order of magnitude more slowly than previously suggested. We then used our new rate estimates to infer a time-scale for Pithovirus evolution. Strikingly, this suggests that these viruses could have diverged at least hundreds of thousands of years ago, and hence have evolved over longer time-scales than previously suggested. We propose that the evolutionary rate and time-scale of pithovirus evolution should be reconsidered in the light of these observations and that future estimates of the rate of giant virus evolution should be carefully examined in the context of their biological plausibility.},
}

@article {pmid29501328,
year = {2018},
author = {Lipson, M and Skoglund, P and Spriggs, M and Valentin, F and Bedford, S and Shing, R and Buckley, H and Phillip, I and Ward, GK and Mallick, S and Rohland, N and Broomandkhoshbacht, N and Cheronet, O and Ferry, M and Harper, TK and Michel, M and Oppenheimer, J and Sirak, K and Stewardson, K and Auckland, K and Hill, AVS and Maitland, K and Oppenheimer, SJ and Parks, T and Robson, K and Williams, TN and Kennett, DJ and Mentzer, AJ and Pinhasi, R and Reich, D},
title = {Population Turnover in Remote Oceania Shortly after Initial Settlement.},
journal = {Current biology : CB},
volume = {28},
number = {7},
pages = {1157-1165.e7},
doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2018.02.051},
pmid = {29501328},
issn = {1879-0445},
support = {//Wellcome Trust/United Kingdom ; //Howard Hughes Medical Institute/United States ; R01 GM100233/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; },
abstract = {Ancient DNA from Vanuatu and Tonga dating to about 2,900-2,600 years ago (before present, BP) has revealed that the "First Remote Oceanians" associated with the Lapita archaeological culture were directly descended from the population that, beginning around 5000 BP, spread Austronesian languages from Taiwan to the Philippines, western Melanesia, and eventually Remote Oceania. Thus, ancestors of the First Remote Oceanians must have passed by the Papuan-ancestry populations they encountered in New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, and the Solomon Islands with minimal admixture [1]. However, all present-day populations in Near and Remote Oceania harbor >25% Papuan ancestry, implying that additional eastward migration must have occurred. We generated genome-wide data for 14 ancient individuals from Efate and Epi Islands in Vanuatu from 2900-150 BP, as well as 185 present-day individuals from 18 islands. We find that people of almost entirely Papuan ancestry arrived in Vanuatu by around 2300 BP, most likely reflecting migrations a few hundred years earlier at the end of the Lapita period, when there is also evidence of changes in skeletal morphology and cessation of long-distance trade between Near and Remote Oceania [2, 3]. Papuan ancestry was subsequently diluted through admixture but remains at least 80%-90% in most islands. Through a fine-grained analysis of ancestry profiles, we show that the Papuan ancestry in Vanuatu derives from the Bismarck Archipelago rather than the geographically closer Solomon Islands. However, the Papuan ancestry in Polynesia-the most remote Pacific islands-derives from different sources, documenting a third stream of migration from Near to Remote Oceania.},
}

@article {pmid29495401,
year = {2018},
author = {Eisenhofer, R and Weyrich, LS},
title = {Proper Authentication of Ancient DNA Is Still Essential.},
journal = {Genes},
volume = {9},
number = {3},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/genes9030122},
pmid = {29495401},
issn = {2073-4425},
abstract = {Santiago-Rodriguez et al. [1] report on the putative gut microbiome and resistome of Inca and Italian mummies, and find that Italian mummies exhibit higher bacterial diversity compared to the Inca mummies.[...].},
}

@article {pmid29494531,
year = {2018},
author = {Loreille, O and Ratnayake, S and Bazinet, AL and Stockwell, TB and Sommer, DD and Rohland, N and Mallick, S and Johnson, PLF and Skoglund, P and Onorato, AJ and Bergman, NH and Reich, D and Irwin, JA},
title = {Biological Sexing of a 4000-Year-Old Egyptian Mummy Head to Assess the Potential of Nuclear DNA Recovery from the Most Damaged and Limited Forensic Specimens.},
journal = {Genes},
volume = {9},
number = {3},
pages = {},
doi = {10.3390/genes9030135},
pmid = {29494531},
issn = {2073-4425},
support = {R01 GM100233/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; },
abstract = {High throughput sequencing (HTS) has been used for a number of years in the field of paleogenomics to facilitate the recovery of small DNA fragments from ancient specimens. Recently, these techniques have also been applied in forensics, where they have been used for the recovery of mitochondrial DNA sequences from samples where traditional PCR-based assays fail because of the very short length of endogenous DNA molecules. Here, we describe the biological sexing of a ~4000-year-old Egyptian mummy using shotgun sequencing and two established methods of biological sex determination (RX and RY), by way of mitochondrial genome analysis as a means of sequence data authentication. This particular case of historical interest increases the potential utility of HTS techniques for forensic purposes by demonstrating that data from the more discriminatory nuclear genome can be recovered from the most damaged specimens, even in cases where mitochondrial DNA cannot be recovered with current PCR-based forensic technologies. Although additional work remains to be done before nuclear DNA recovered via these methods can be used routinely in operational casework for individual identification purposes, these results indicate substantial promise for the retrieval of probative individually identifying DNA data from the most limited and degraded forensic specimens.},
}

@article {pmid29493596,
year = {2018},
author = {},
title = {UK university strike, quark pioneer and the ancient-genome boom.},
journal = {Nature},
volume = {555},
number = {7694},
pages = {10-11},
doi = {10.1038/d41586-018-02389-0},
pmid = {29493596},
issn = {1476-4687},
}

@article {pmid29483247,
year = {2018},
author = {Palkopoulou, E and Lipson, M and Mallick, S and Nielsen, S and Rohland, N and Baleka, S and Karpinski, E and Ivancevic, AM and To, TH and Kortschak, RD and Raison, JM and Qu, Z and Chin, TJ and Alt, KW and Claesson, S and Dalén, L and MacPhee, RDE and Meller, H and Roca, AL and Ryder, OA and Heiman, D and Young, S and Breen, M and Williams, C and Aken, BL and Ruffier, M and Karlsson, E and Johnson, J and Di Palma, F and Alfoldi, J and Adelson, DL and Mailund, T and Munch, K and Lindblad-Toh, K and Hofreiter, M and Poinar, H and Reich, D},
title = {A comprehensive genomic history of extinct and living elephants.},
journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
volume = {115},
number = {11},
pages = {E2566-E2574},
doi = {10.1073/pnas.1720554115},
pmid = {29483247},
issn = {1091-6490},
support = {//Wellcome Trust/United Kingdom ; R01 GM100233/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; U54 HG003067/HG/NHGRI NIH HHS/United States ; /HHMI/Howard Hughes Medical Institute/United States ; WT098051//Wellcome Trust/United Kingdom ; WT108749/Z/15/Z//Wellcome Trust/United Kingdom ; },
abstract = {Elephantids are the world's most iconic megafaunal family, yet there is no comprehensive genomic assessment of their relationships. We report a total of 14 genomes, including 2 from the American mastodon, which is an extinct elephantid relative, and 12 spanning all three extant and three extinct elephantid species including an ∼120,000-y-old straight-tusked elephant, a Columbian mammoth, and woolly mammoths. Earlier genetic studies modeled elephantid evolution via simple bifurcating trees, but here we show that interspecies hybridization has been a recurrent feature of elephantid evolution. We found that the genetic makeup of the straight-tusked elephant, previously placed as a sister group to African forest elephants based on lower coverage data, in fact comprises three major components. Most of the straight-tusked elephant's ancestry derives from a lineage related to the ancestor of African elephants while its remaining ancestry consists of a large contribution from a lineage related to forest elephants and another related to mammoths. Columbian and woolly mammoths also showed evidence of interbreeding, likely following a latitudinal cline across North America. While hybridization events have shaped elephantid history in profound ways, isolation also appears to have played an important role. Our data reveal nearly complete isolation between the ancestors of the African forest and savanna elephants for ∼500,000 y, providing compelling justification for the conservation of forest and savanna elephants as separate species.},
}

@article {pmid29472463,
year = {2018},
author = {Wade, L},
title = {'Extinct' Caribbeans have living descendants.},
journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
volume = {359},
number = {6378},
pages = {858},
doi = {10.1126/science.359.6378.858},
pmid = {29472463},
issn = {1095-9203},
mesh = {Caribbean Region ; *DNA, Ancient ; Female ; *Genome, Human ; Humans ; *Women ; },
}

Caribbean Region
*DNA, Ancient
Female
*Genome, Human
Humans
*Women

@article {pmid29472442,
year = {2018},
author = {Gaunitz, C and Fages, A and Hanghøj, K and Albrechtsen, A and Khan, N and Schubert, M and Seguin-Orlando, A and Owens, IJ and Felkel, S and Bignon-Lau, O and de Barros Damgaard, P and Mittnik, A and Mohaseb, AF and Davoudi, H and Alquraishi, S and Alfarhan, AH and Al-Rasheid, KAS and Crubézy, E and Benecke, N and Olsen, S and Brown, D and Anthony, D and Massy, K and Pitulko, V and Kasparov, A and Brem, G and Hofreiter, M and Mukhtarova, G and Baimukhanov, N and Lõugas, L and Onar, V and Stockhammer, PW and Krause, J and Boldgiv, B and Undrakhbold, S and Erdenebaatar, D and Lepetz, S and Mashkour, M and Ludwig, A and Wallner, B and Merz, V and Merz, I and Zaibert, V and Willerslev, E and Librado, P and Outram, AK and Orlando, L},
title = {Ancient genomes revisit the ancestry of domestic and Przewalski's horses.},
journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
volume = {360},
number = {6384},
pages = {111-114},
doi = {10.1126/science.aao3297},
pmid = {29472442},
issn = {1095-9203},
support = {//European Research Council/International ; },
mesh = {Animals ; DNA, Ancient ; Genome ; Horses/anatomy & histology/*classification/*genetics ; Phenotype ; Phylogeny ; },
abstract = {The Eneolithic Botai culture of the Central Asian steppes provides the earliest archaeological evidence for horse husbandry, ~5500 years ago, but the exact nature of early horse domestication remains controversial. We generated 42 ancient-horse genomes, including 20 from Botai. Compared to 46 published ancient- and modern-horse genomes, our data indicate that Przewalski's horses are the feral descendants of horses herded at Botai and not truly wild horses. All domestic horses dated from ~4000 years ago to present only show ~2.7% of Botai-related ancestry. This indicates that a massive genomic turnover underpins the expansion of the horse stock that gave rise to modern domesticates, which coincides with large-scale human population expansions during the Early Bronze Age.},
}

Animals
DNA, Ancient
Genome
Horses/anatomy & histology/*classification/*genetics
Phenotype
Phylogeny

@article {pmid29466337,
year = {2018},
author = {Olalde, I and Brace, S and Allentoft, ME and Armit, I and Kristiansen, K and Booth, T and Rohland, N and Mallick, S and Szécsényi-Nagy, A and Mittnik, A and Altena, E and Lipson, M and Lazaridis, I and Harper, TK and Patterson, N and Broomandkhoshbacht, N and Diekmann, Y and Faltyskova, Z and Fernandes, D and Ferry, M and Harney, E and de Knijff, P and Michel, M and Oppenheimer, J and Stewardson, K and Barclay, A and Alt, KW and Liesau, C and Ríos, P and Blasco, C and Miguel, JV and García, RM and Fernández, AA and Bánffy, E and Bernabò-Brea, M and Billoin, D and Bonsall, C and Bonsall, L and Allen, T and Büster, L and Carver, S and Navarro, LC and Craig, OE and Cook, GT and Cunliffe, B and Denaire, A and Dinwiddy, KE and Dodwell, N and Ernée, M and Evans, C and Kuchařík, M and Farré, JF and Fowler, C and Gazenbeek, M and Pena, RG and Haber-Uriarte, M and Haduch, E and Hey, G and Jowett, N and Knowles, T and Massy, K and Pfrengle, S and Lefranc, P and Lemercier, O and Lefebvre, A and Martínez, CH and Olmo, VG and Ramírez, AB and Maurandi, JL and Majó, T and McKinley, JI and McSweeney, K and Mende, BG and Modi, A and Kulcsár, G and Kiss, V and Czene, A and Patay, R and Endrődi, A and Köhler, K and Hajdu, T and Szeniczey, T and Dani, J and Bernert, Z and Hoole, M and Cheronet, O and Keating, D and Velemínský, P and Dobeš, M and Candilio, F and Brown, F and Fernández, RF and Herrero-Corral, AM and Tusa, S and Carnieri, E and Lentini, L and Valenti, A and Zanini, A and Waddington, C and Delibes, G and Guerra-Doce, E and Neil, B and Brittain, M and Luke, M and Mortimer, R and Desideri, J and Besse, M and Brücken, G and Furmanek, M and Hałuszko, A and Mackiewicz, M and Rapiński, A and Leach, S and Soriano, I and Lillios, KT and Cardoso, JL and Pearson, MP and Włodarczak, P and Price, TD and Prieto, P and Rey, PJ and Risch, R and Rojo Guerra, MA and Schmitt, A and Serralongue, J and Silva, AM and Smrčka, V and Vergnaud, L and Zilhão, J and Caramelli, D and Higham, T and Thomas, MG and Kennett, DJ and Fokkens, H and Heyd, V and Sheridan, A and Sjögren, KG and Stockhammer, PW and Krause, J and Pinhasi, R and Haak, W and Barnes, I and Lalueza-Fox, C and Reich, D},
title = {The Beaker phenomenon and the genomic transformation of northwest Europe.},
journal = {Nature},
volume = {555},
number = {7695},
pages = {190-196},
doi = {10.1038/nature25738},
pmid = {29466337},
issn = {1476-4687},
support = {//Wellcome Trust/United Kingdom ; R01 GM100233/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; },
abstract = {From around 2750 to 2500 bc, Bell Beaker pottery became widespread across western and central Europe, before it disappeared between 2200 and 1800 bc. The forces that propelled its expansion are a matter of long-standing debate, and there is support for both cultural diffusion and migration having a role in this process. Here we present genome-wide data from 400 Neolithic, Copper Age and Bronze Age Europeans, including 226 individuals associated with Beaker-complex artefacts. We detected limited genetic affinity between Beaker-complex-associated individuals from Iberia and central Europe, and thus exclude migration as an important mechanism of spread between these two regions. However, migration had a key role in the further dissemination of the Beaker complex. We document this phenomenon most clearly in Britain, where the spread of the Beaker complex introduced high levels of steppe-related ancestry and was associated with the replacement of approximately 90% of Britain's gene pool within a few hundred years, continuing the east-to-west expansion that had brought steppe-related ancestry into central and northern Europe over the previous centuries.},
}

@article {pmid29466330,
year = {2018},
author = {Mathieson, I and Alpaslan-Roodenberg, S and Posth, C and Szécsényi-Nagy, A and Rohland, N and Mallick, S and Olalde, I and Broomandkhoshbacht, N and Candilio, F and Cheronet, O and Fernandes, D and Ferry, M and Gamarra, B and Fortes, GG and Haak, W and Harney, E and Jones, E and Keating, D and Krause-Kyora, B and Kucukkalipci, I and Michel, M and Mittnik, A and Nägele, K and Novak, M and Oppenheimer, J and Patterson, N and Pfrengle, S and Sirak, K and Stewardson, K and Vai, S and Alexandrov, S and Alt, KW and Andreescu, R and Antonović, D and Ash, A and Atanassova, N and Bacvarov, K and Gusztáv, MB and Bocherens, H and Bolus, M and Boroneanţ, A and Boyadzhiev, Y and Budnik, A and Burmaz, J and Chohadzhiev, S and Conard, NJ and Cottiaux, R and Čuka, M and Cupillard, C and Drucker, DG and Elenski, N and Francken, M and Galabova, B and Ganetsovski, G and Gély, B and Hajdu, T and Handzhyiska, V and Harvati, K and Higham, T and Iliev, S and Janković, I and Karavanić, I and Kennett, DJ and Komšo, D and Kozak, A and Labuda, D and Lari, M and Lazar, C and Leppek, M and Leshtakov, K and Vetro, DL and Los, D and Lozanov, I and Malina, M and Martini, F and McSweeney, K and Meller, H and Menđušić, M and Mirea, P and Moiseyev, V and Petrova, V and Price, TD and Simalcsik, A and Sineo, L and Šlaus, M and Slavchev, V and Stanev, P and Starović, A and Szeniczey, T and Talamo, S and Teschler-Nicola, M and Thevenet, C and Valchev, I and Valentin, F and Vasilyev, S and Veljanovska, F and Venelinova, S and Veselovskaya, E and Viola, B and Virag, C and Zaninović, J and Zäuner, S and Stockhammer, PW and Catalano, G and Krauß, R and Caramelli, D and Zariņa, G and Gaydarska, B and Lillie, M and Nikitin, AG and Potekhina, I and Papathanasiou, A and Borić, D and Bonsall, C and Krause, J and Pinhasi, R and Reich, D},
title = {The genomic history of southeastern Europe.},
journal = {Nature},
volume = {555},
number = {7695},
pages = {197-203},
doi = {10.1038/nature25778},
pmid = {29466330},
issn = {1476-4687},
support = {R01 GM100233/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; /HHMI/Howard Hughes Medical Institute/United States ; },
abstract = {Farming was first introduced to Europe in the mid-seventh millennium bc, and was associated with migrants from Anatolia who settled in the southeast before spreading throughout Europe. Here, to understand the dynamics of this process, we analysed genome-wide ancient DNA data from 225 individuals who lived in southeastern Europe and surrounding regions between 12000 and 500 bc. We document a west-east cline of ancestry in indigenous hunter-gatherers and, in eastern Europe, the early stages in the formation of Bronze Age steppe ancestry. We show that the first farmers of northern and western Europe dispersed through southeastern Europe with limited hunter-gatherer admixture, but that some early groups in the southeast mixed extensively with hunter-gatherers without the sex-biased admixture that prevailed later in the north and west. We also show that southeastern Europe continued to be a nexus between east and west after the arrival of farmers, with intermittent genetic contact with steppe populations occurring up to 2,000 years earlier than the migrations from the steppe that ultimately replaced much of the population of northern Europe.},
}

@article {pmid29463742,
year = {2018},
author = {Schroeder, H and Sikora, M and Gopalakrishnan, S and Cassidy, LM and Maisano Delser, P and Sandoval Velasco, M and Schraiber, JG and Rasmussen, S and Homburger, JR and Ávila-Arcos, MC and Allentoft, ME and Moreno-Mayar, JV and Renaud, G and Gómez-Carballa, A and Laffoon, JE and Hopkins, RJA and Higham, TFG and Carr, RS and Schaffer, WC and Day, JS and Hoogland, M and Salas, A and Bustamante, CD and Nielsen, R and Bradley, DG and Hofman, CL and Willerslev, E},
title = {Origins and genetic legacies of the Caribbean Taino.},
journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
volume = {115},
number = {10},
pages = {2341-2346},
doi = {10.1073/pnas.1716839115},
pmid = {29463742},
issn = {1091-6490},
support = {R35 GM124745/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States ; T32 HG000044/HG/NHGRI NIH HHS/United States ; },
abstract = {The Caribbean was one of the last parts of the Americas to be settled by humans, but how and when the islands were first occupied remains a matter of debate. Ancient DNA can help answering these questions, but the work has been hampered by poor DNA preservation. We report the genome sequence of a 1,000-year-old Lucayan Taino individual recovered from the site of Preacher's Cave in the Bahamas. We sequenced her genome to 12.4-fold coverage and show that she is genetically most closely related to present-day Arawakan speakers from northern South America, suggesting that the ancestors of the Lucayans originated there. Further, we find no evidence for recent inbreeding or isolation in the ancient genome, suggesting that the Lucayans had a relatively large effective population size. Finally, we show that the native American components in some present-day Caribbean genomes are closely related to the ancient Taino, demonstrating an element of continuity between precontact populations and present-day Latino populations in the Caribbean.},
}

@article {pmid29462170,
year = {2018},
author = {Di Lorenzo, P and Lancioni, H and Ceccobelli, S and Colli, L and Cardinali, I and Karsli, T and Capodiferro, MR and Sahin, E and Ferretti, L and Ajmone Marsan, P and Sarti, FM and Lasagna, E and Panella, F and Achilli, A},
title = {Mitochondrial DNA variants of Podolian cattle breeds testify for a dual maternal origin.},
journal = {PloS one},
volume = {13},
number = {2},
pages = {e0192567},
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0192567},
pmid = {29462170},
issn = {1932-6203},
mesh = {Animals ; Cattle/*genetics ; DNA, Mitochondrial/*genetics ; Endangered Species ; *Genomic Imprinting ; Haplotypes ; },
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Over the past 15 years, 300 out of 6000 breeds of all farm animal species identified by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have gone extinct. Among cattle, many Podolian breeds are seriously endangered in various European areas. Podolian cattle include a group of very ancient European breeds, phenotypically close to the aurochs ancestors (Bos primigenius). The aim of the present study was to assess the genetic diversity of Podolian breeds and to reconstruct their origin.

METHODOLOGY: The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control-regions of 18 Podolian breeds have been phylogenetically assessed. Nine non-Podolian breeds have been also included for comparison.

CONCLUSION: The overall analysis clearly highlights some peculiarities in the mtDNA gene pool of some Podolian breeds. In particular, a principal component analysis point to a genetic proximity between five breeds (Chianina, Marchigiana, Maremmana, Podolica Italiana and Romagnola) reared in Central Italy and the Turkish Grey. We here propose the suggestive hypothesis of a dual ancestral contribution to the present gene pool of Podolian breeds, one deriving from Eastern European cattle; the other arising from the arrival of Middle Eastern cattle into Central Italy through a different route, perhaps by sea, ferried by Etruscan boats. The historical migration of Podolian cattle from North Eastern Europe towards Italy has not cancelled the mtDNA footprints of this previous ancient migration.},
}

Animals
Cattle/*genetics
DNA, Mitochondrial/*genetics
Endangered Species
*Genomic Imprinting
Haplotypes

@article {pmid29440415,
year = {2018},
author = {Boast, AP and Weyrich, LS and Wood, JR and Metcalf, JL and Knight, R and Cooper, A},
title = {Coprolites reveal ecological interactions lost with the extinction of New Zealand birds.},
journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America},
volume = {115},
number = {7},
pages = {1546-1551},
doi = {10.1073/pnas.1712337115},
pmid = {29440415},
issn = {1091-6490},
mesh = {Animals ; Behavior, Animal/*physiology ; Birds/*physiology ; DNA/*analysis/genetics ; *Ecology ; *Extinction, Biological ; *Fossils ; Fungi/genetics ; Palaeognathae/*physiology ; Parasites/genetics ; Plants/genetics ; },
abstract = {Over the past 50,000 y, biotic extinctions and declines have left a legacy of vacant niches and broken ecological interactions across global terrestrial ecosystems. Reconstructing the natural, unmodified ecosystems that preceded these events relies on high-resolution analyses of paleoecological deposits. Coprolites are a source of uniquely detailed information about trophic interactions and the behaviors, gut parasite communities, and microbiotas of prehistoric animal species. Such insights are critical for understanding the legacy effects of extinctions on ecosystems, and can help guide contemporary conservation and ecosystem restoration efforts. Here we use high-throughput sequencing (HTS) of ancient eukaryotic DNA from coprolites to reconstruct aspects of the biology and ecology of four species of extinct moa and the critically endangered kakapo parrot from New Zealand (NZ). Importantly, we provide evidence that moa and prehistoric kakapo consumed ectomycorrhizal fungi, suggesting these birds played a role in dispersing fungi that are key to NZ's natural forest ecosystems. We also provide the first DNA-based evidence that moa frequently supplemented their broad diets with ferns and mosses. Finally, we also find parasite taxa that provide insight into moa behavior, and present data supporting the hypothesis of coextinction between moa and several parasite species. Our study demonstrates that HTS sequencing of coprolites provides a powerful tool for resolving key aspects of ancient ecosystems and may rapidly provide information not obtainable by conventional paleoecological techniques, such as fossil analyses.},
}

Animals
Behavior, Animal/*physiology
Birds/*physiology
DNA/*analysis/genetics
*Ecology
*Extinction, Biological
*Fossils
Fungi/genetics
Palaeognathae/*physiology
Parasites/genetics
Plants/genetics