Ancient human DNA was recovered for the first time from a Paleolithic pendant made with a 20,000-year-old deer tooth found in Denisova Cave, Russia. The genome belongs to a woman of Eurasian origin, probably the same one who created or wore the pendant. This is indicated by the study published in the journal Nature by an international team of experts which also includes Nobel prize winner Svante Paabo and archaeologist Tsenka Tsanova, currently in Italy at the University of Bologna.
This research group was the first to develop an innovative non-destructive method, which allows the DNA to be extracted from ancient artifacts to trace the identity of whoever handled them in the past. Of particular interest are objects made with animal bones or teeth, because these porous materials can retain traces of body fluids containing DNA, such as sweat, blood or saliva.
In order not to alter or destroy the ancient skeletal material, the specimens are immersed in a sodium phosphate buffer solution by gradually increasing the temperature. The trapped DNA is released into the solution and can be sequenced and analyzed.
The researchers applied this method to a pendant made from a deer tooth found in the Denisova Cave in southern Siberia. They thus managed to recover the DNA of a wapiti (a kind of deer) and of an ancient human being, to be exact a woman who had a close genetic relationship with a group of individuals from northern Eurasia (previously they had been found only further east in Siberia).
The analyzes also made it possible to establish that the pendant dates back to a period between 19,000 and 25,000 years ago, avoiding the destruction of the sample caused by radiocarbon dating. However, the authors of the study suggest that archaeologists apply protocols that minimize the manipulation of objects during and after excavation, in order to avoid possible contamination of the surface DNA.
Source: Ansa
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