Tracing the origin of our species through palaeogenomics
The recent breathtaking progress in whole genome sequencing technology allows access to the genomes both of ancient organisms and populations, including those now extinct. Despite the heavy degradation and the extremely low quantities of ancient DNA, it is sometimes possible to sequence an entire ge...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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EDP Sciences
2015-01-01
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| Series: | BIO Web of Conferences |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/20150400005 |
| _version_ | 1819183009018937344 |
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| author | Geigl Eva-Maria Bennett E. Andrew Grange Thierry |
| author_facet | Geigl Eva-Maria Bennett E. Andrew Grange Thierry |
| author_sort | Geigl Eva-Maria |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The recent breathtaking progress in whole genome sequencing technology allows access to the genomes both of ancient organisms and populations, including those now extinct. Despite the heavy degradation and the extremely low quantities of ancient DNA, it is sometimes possible to sequence an entire genome from a fossil. This enterprise has been successful in the case of fossilized remains from Neanderthals, a lineage of hominids that lived in Europe for 200,000 years and disappeared 30,000 years ago. An even greater surprise was the genome that has been obtained from a small finger bone preserved in a cave in the Siberian Altai Mountains. This genome revealed the existence of a human lineage previously unknown from the fossil record. The corresponding population mixed with the Neanderthals and the ancestors of the present day populations of South-East Asia. These hybridization events left different traces in the non-African human populations emphasizing the fact that we are genomic mosaics. The comparison of the different genomes also gives hints to how the genome of present-day populations was shaped and helps us to better understand which parts of our genetic make-up are responsible for the biological features of H. sapiens. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T22:55:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f4ed0ffb302746ee9914589646d0abd8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2117-4458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T22:55:12Z |
| publishDate | 2015-01-01 |
| publisher | EDP Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BIO Web of Conferences |
| spelling | doaj.art-f4ed0ffb302746ee9914589646d0abd82022-12-21T18:09:50ZengEDP SciencesBIO Web of Conferences2117-44582015-01-0140000510.1051/bioconf/20150400005bioconf-origins2015_00005Tracing the origin of our species through palaeogenomicsGeigl Eva-MariaBennett E. AndrewGrange ThierryThe recent breathtaking progress in whole genome sequencing technology allows access to the genomes both of ancient organisms and populations, including those now extinct. Despite the heavy degradation and the extremely low quantities of ancient DNA, it is sometimes possible to sequence an entire genome from a fossil. This enterprise has been successful in the case of fossilized remains from Neanderthals, a lineage of hominids that lived in Europe for 200,000 years and disappeared 30,000 years ago. An even greater surprise was the genome that has been obtained from a small finger bone preserved in a cave in the Siberian Altai Mountains. This genome revealed the existence of a human lineage previously unknown from the fossil record. The corresponding population mixed with the Neanderthals and the ancestors of the present day populations of South-East Asia. These hybridization events left different traces in the non-African human populations emphasizing the fact that we are genomic mosaics. The comparison of the different genomes also gives hints to how the genome of present-day populations was shaped and helps us to better understand which parts of our genetic make-up are responsible for the biological features of H. sapiens.http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/20150400005 |
| spellingShingle | Geigl Eva-Maria Bennett E. Andrew Grange Thierry Tracing the origin of our species through palaeogenomics BIO Web of Conferences |
| title | Tracing the origin of our species through palaeogenomics |
| title_full | Tracing the origin of our species through palaeogenomics |
| title_fullStr | Tracing the origin of our species through palaeogenomics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tracing the origin of our species through palaeogenomics |
| title_short | Tracing the origin of our species through palaeogenomics |
| title_sort | tracing the origin of our species through palaeogenomics |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/20150400005 |
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