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The detection of Escherichia coli DNA in the ancient remains of Lindow Man using the polymerase chain reaction
Author(s) -
Fricker E.J.,
Spigelman M.,
Fricker C.R.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
letters in applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.698
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1472-765X
pISSN - 0266-8254
DOI - 10.1046/j.1472-765x.1997.00066.x
Subject(s) - reading (process) , polymerase chain reaction , classics , sociology , biology , law , history , political science , genetics , gene
The polymerase chain reaction has been applied to the detection of Escherichia coli DNA in the upper gut contents of Lindow Man, an Iron Age bog body dated to ca 300 BC . With sets of primers from the uidA and lacZ genes, E. coli DNA could be detected reproducibly. Initial attempts at detecting DNA from freshly voided faeces from a healthy volunteer were unsuccessful due to inhibition of the reaction. Development of a method, based on guanidine thiocyanate and silica extraction and purification of the DNA fragments, facilitated the detection of the E. coli DNA in both freshly voided faeces and the upper gut contents of Lindow Man. These findings indicate that it may be possible to study the existence of infectious diseases in ancient civilizations and to learn more about the evolution of microbes.