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Confirmation of the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex‐specific DNA in three archaeological specimens
Author(s) -
Spigelman Mark,
Matheson Carney,
Lev Galit,
Greenblatt Charles,
Donoghue Helen D.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
international journal of osteoarchaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1099-1212
pISSN - 1047-482X
DOI - 10.1002/oa.638
Subject(s) - ancient dna , paleopathology , mycobacterium tuberculosis complex , amplicon , tuberculosis , mycobacterium tuberculosis , biology , archaeology , history , polymerase chain reaction , medicine , genetics , pathology , gene , population , environmental health
This journal published the first reported identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) DNA in ancient human remains but concerns were raised about the article two years after publication. These were based on methodology which, in the field of ancient DNA, was still developing. Here we present a re‐examination of the 1993 research conducted on three specimens which exhibited palaeopathologies indicative of tuberculosis. The specimens were: an ulna from pre‐European‐contact Borneo, a spine from Byzantine Turkey, and a lumbar‐sacral spine from 17th century Scotland. There was insufficient material to permit re‐examination of all of the original samples. The earlier results were confirmed in two independent laboratories using different methodologies. MTB DNA complex‐specific DNA amplicons were obtained, and sequenced in both laboratories, in a re‐analysis of samples which supported the earlier findings. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.