The future of ancient DNA: Technical advances and conceptual shifts

Michael Hofreiter; Johanna L.A. Paijmans; Helen Goodchild; Camilla F. Speller; Axel Barlow; Gloria G. Fortes; Jessica A. Thomas; Arne Ludwig; Matthew J. Collins

doi:10.1002/bies.201400160

The future of ancient DNA: Technical advances and conceptual shifts

Michael Hofreiter^*, Johanna L.A. Paijmans, Helen Goodchild, Camilla F. Speller, Axel Barlow, Gloria G. Fortes, Jessica A. Thomas, Arne Ludwig, Matthew J. Collins

^*Corresponding author for this work

119 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Journal	BioEssays
Volume	37
Issue number	3
Pages (from-to)	284-293
Number of pages	10
ISSN	0265-9247
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/bies.201400160
Publication status	Published - 1 Mar 2015

Keywords

Ancient DNA
Hybridisation capture
Multi-locus data
Next generation sequencing (NGS)
Palaeogenomics
Population genomics

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10.1002/bies.201400160

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abstract = "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.",

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AU - Thomas, Jessica A.

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The future of ancient DNA: Technical advances and conceptual shifts

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Keywords

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