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Paleogenomics

All articles tagged with #paleogenomics

science1 day ago

Ice-Age DNA Linked to Living Past 100, Italian Study Finds

Italian researchers analyzed DNA from over 1,000 individuals and found that centenarians carry more Western Hunter-Gatherer DNA, particularly the Villabruna cluster from about 14,000 years ago, which is linked to immune response and cellular repair. In a comparison of 333 centenarians and 690 younger adults, those with hunter-gatherer ancestry had about 38% higher odds of living to 100+, with the signal strongest in women. The study suggests ancient genomic patterns may influence aging and inflammaging, though environment and healthcare remain important and further lab work is needed to confirm functional effects.

via Indian Defence Review|
#centenarians#hunter-gatherer-ancestry#inflammaging
science1 year ago

"Unveiling Humanity's Origins: Insights from Ancient Genomes"

In a commentary for the 50th anniversary issue of Cell, researchers Fu Qiaomei and E. Andrew Bennett from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology discussed the contribution of paleogenomics to understanding the evolution of modern humans. They highlighted the direct and indirect approaches of studying ancient DNA to identify genetic changes and reconstruct the life history of archaic and early modern human populations. The authors reviewed studies that revealed differences between early modern humans and archaic populations, suggesting that population-level advantages and adaptations to local environments may have contributed to the success and expansion of modern human populations. The commentary integrates the latest findings from ancient DNA with those from paleoanthropology and archaeology, expanding and updating the discussion of human origins.

via Phys.org|
#ancient-genomes#human-evolution#modern-humans
science-and-technology2 years ago

Unveiling the Archaeological Revolution: Ancient DNA's Impact from Neanderthals to the Black Plague

The field of paleogenomics, which focuses on reconstructing ancient genomes from DNA samples, has revolutionized archaeology. Researchers have made significant advancements in extracting and analyzing ancient DNA, allowing them to reconstruct complete genomes and gain insights into human evolution, migrations, and the origins of diseases. Ancient DNA has revealed the existence of new human species, such as the Denisovans, and provided evidence of interbreeding between Neanderthals and modern humans. The technique has also been used to sequence the DNA of extinct species and track the evolution of diseases. However, the ethical implications of studying ancient DNA and the need for collaboration with descendant communities remain important considerations in this field.

via National Geographic|
#ancient-dna#archaeology#genetic-research
science2 years ago

The Pros and Cons of De-Extinction for Conservation.

Beth Shapiro, a leading expert on paleogenomics, is working with de-extinction companies like Colossal Biosciences and Revive and Restore to develop technologies that could resurrect extinct traits and help protect vulnerable species of birds. Shapiro's initial work mapping the dodo genome laid the groundwork to bring back a version of it from extinction, and the knowledge gained from de-extinction could help protect species under threat now. However, it is not possible to bring back an identical copy of an extinct species.

via NPR|
#beth-shapiro#conservation#de-extinction
science2 years ago

Ancient DNA research experiences a boom.

Ancient DNA research has made huge leaps forward over the last two decades, allowing scientists to recover very old DNA and push the frontier further. Beth Shapiro, Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of California - Santa Cruz, discusses the expanding range of scientific puzzles the young field is tackling, from new insights into our Neanderthal inheritance to deep questions about ecology and evolution.

via NPR|
#ancient-dna#evolution#fossils