TY - JOUR
T1 - The future of ancient DNA
T2 - Technical advances and conceptual shifts
AU - Hofreiter, Michael
AU - Paijmans, Johanna L.A.
AU - Goodchild, Helen
AU - Speller, Camilla F.
AU - Barlow, Axel
AU - Fortes, Gloria G.
AU - Thomas, Jessica A.
AU - Ludwig, Arne
AU - Collins, Matthew J.
PY - 2015/3/1
Y1 - 2015/3/1
N2 - Technological innovations such as next generation sequencing and DNA hybridisation enrichment have resulted in multi-fold increases in both the quantity of ancient DNA sequence data and the time depth for DNA retrieval. To date, over 30 ancient genomes have been sequenced, moving from 0.7× coverage (mammoth) in 2008 to more than 50× coverage (Neanderthal) in 2014. Studies of rapid evolutionary changes, such as the evolution and spread of pathogens and the genetic responses of hosts, or the genetics of domestication and climatic adaptation, are developing swiftly and the importance of palaeogenomics for investigating evolutionary processes during the last million years is likely to increase considerably. However, these new datasets require new methods of data processing and analysis, as well as conceptual changes in interpreting the results. In this review we highlight important areas of future technical and conceptual progress and discuss research topics in the rapidly growing field of palaeogenomics. The number of sequenced palaeogenomes will increase rapidly in the future, as will the range of species from which these are obtained. These sequences will allow complex analyses, including studies on gene flow within and among species across space and time as well as studies of complex palaeoecological interactions.
AB - Technological innovations such as next generation sequencing and DNA hybridisation enrichment have resulted in multi-fold increases in both the quantity of ancient DNA sequence data and the time depth for DNA retrieval. To date, over 30 ancient genomes have been sequenced, moving from 0.7× coverage (mammoth) in 2008 to more than 50× coverage (Neanderthal) in 2014. Studies of rapid evolutionary changes, such as the evolution and spread of pathogens and the genetic responses of hosts, or the genetics of domestication and climatic adaptation, are developing swiftly and the importance of palaeogenomics for investigating evolutionary processes during the last million years is likely to increase considerably. However, these new datasets require new methods of data processing and analysis, as well as conceptual changes in interpreting the results. In this review we highlight important areas of future technical and conceptual progress and discuss research topics in the rapidly growing field of palaeogenomics. The number of sequenced palaeogenomes will increase rapidly in the future, as will the range of species from which these are obtained. These sequences will allow complex analyses, including studies on gene flow within and among species across space and time as well as studies of complex palaeoecological interactions.
KW - Ancient DNA
KW - Hybridisation capture
KW - Multi-locus data
KW - Next generation sequencing (NGS)
KW - Palaeogenomics
KW - Population genomics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84925460540&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/bies.201400160
DO - 10.1002/bies.201400160
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 25413709
AN - SCOPUS:84925460540
SN - 0265-9247
VL - 37
SP - 284
EP - 293
JO - BioEssays
JF - BioEssays
IS - 3
ER -