scholarly journals Host Diversity and Origin of Zoonoses: The Ancient and the New

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1672
Author(s):  
Judith Recht ◽  
Verena J. Schuenemann ◽  
Marcelo R. Sánchez-Villagra
Keyword(s):  
Dna Analysis ◽  
Economic Cost ◽  
Zoonotic Diseases ◽  
Research Progress ◽  
Animal Origin ◽  
Bone Lesions ◽  
Domestic Species ◽  
Global Priority ◽  
Ancient Dna Analysis ◽  
Reservoir Hosts

Bacterial, viral, and parasitic zoonotic diseases are transmitted to humans from a wide variety of animal species that act as reservoir hosts for the causative organisms. Zoonoses contribute an estimated 75% of new or reemerging infectious diseases in humans. All groups of mammals have been shown to act as hosts for transmission of different organisms that cause zoonoses, followed in importance by birds; with both wild and domestic species identified as hosts in specific cases. There has been considerable research progress leading to a better understanding of the host range, animal origin, evolution, and transmission of important zoonoses, including those caused by the ingestion of food and products derived from animals. Paleopathology studies of ancient human bone lesions, in combination with ancient DNA analysis of the causative pathogen, have contributed to our understanding of the origin of zoonotic diseases, including brucellosis and mycobacterial zoonoses. However, there are still knowledge gaps and new confirmed and potential hosts are reported locally with some frequency. Both the economic cost and burden of disease of zoonoses are substantial at local and global levels, as reflected by recent coronavirus pandemics that spread rapidly around the world. Evidence-based prevention strategies are currently a global priority increasingly recognized, especially in zoonoses-affected regions.

scholarly journals Ritual complexity in a past community revealed by ancient DNA analysis of pre-colonial terracotta items from Northern Ghana

2017 ◽  
Vol 79 ◽  
pp. 10-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather A. Robinson ◽  
Timothy Insoll ◽  
Benjamin W. Kankpeyeng ◽  
Keri A. Brown ◽  
Terence A. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Ancient Dna ◽  
Dna Analysis ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Ancient Dna Analysis

scholarly journals Combined hybridization capture and shotgun sequencing for ancient DNA analysis of extinct wild and domestic dromedary camel

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 300-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elmira Mohandesan ◽  
Camilla F. Speller ◽  
Joris Peters ◽  
Hans-Peter Uerpmann ◽  
Margarethe Uerpmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ancient Dna ◽  
Dna Analysis ◽  
Shotgun Sequencing ◽  
Dromedary Camel ◽  
Hybridization Capture ◽  
Ancient Dna Analysis

scholarly journals Tusk or Bone? An Example of Ivory Substitute in the Wildlife Trade

2011 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 40-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret E. Sims ◽  
Barry W. Baker ◽  
Robert M. Hoesch
Keyword(s):  
Material Culture ◽  
Species Identification ◽  
Dna Analysis ◽  
Wildlife Trade ◽  
Bone Tools ◽  
Wildlife Forensics ◽  
Ancient Dna Analysis ◽  
Modern Context ◽  
Morphological Species ◽  
Ivory Trade

Bone carvings (and other ivory substitutes) are common in the modern-day lucrative international ivory trade.  Souvenirs for unknowing travelers and market shoppers can be made of non-biological material (plastic "ivory" beads) or skillfully crafted natural objects made to resemble something other than their true origin.  Many of these items are received at the U. S. National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory (NFWFL) for species identification as part of law enforcement investigations.  Morphologists at the Lab often receive uniquely carved ivory items that have been imported with little or no documentation.  In recent years, analysts examined several purported ivory tusks suspected to be walrus, a protected marine mammal.  After examination, the Lab determined their origin as carved leg bones of cattle using principles and methods of zooarchaeology and ancient DNA analysis.  The naturally long and straight ungulate metapodials had been cut, carved, filled, stained, and polished to closely resemble unmodified ivory tusks.  Morphological species identification of these bones proved to be a challenge since diagnostic characters of the bones had been altered and country of origin was unknown. Genetic analysis showed that the bones originated from cattle.  While bone is commonly used as a substitute for ivory, this style of artifact was not previously documented in the wildlife trade prior to our analysis.  Archaeological ethnobiologists commonly encounter bone tools and other forms of material culture from prehistoric and historic contexts; in this case bone tools come from a modern context, thus the application of methods common in zooarchaeology are situated in wildlife forensics.  In addition, results reported here pertain to cross-cultural ivory trade and conservation science.

Ancient DNA analysis of desiccated wheat grains excavated from a Bronze Age cemetery in Xinjiang

2011 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunxiang Li ◽  
Diane L. Lister ◽  
Hongjie Li ◽  
Yue Xu ◽  
Yinqiu Cui ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Ancient Dna ◽  
Dna Analysis ◽  
Wheat Grains ◽  
Ancient Dna Analysis

scholarly journals Isolating the human cochlea to generate bone powder for ancient DNA analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 1194-1205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ron Pinhasi ◽  
Daniel M. Fernandes ◽  
Kendra Sirak ◽  
Olivia Cheronet
Keyword(s):  
Ancient Dna ◽  
Dna Analysis ◽  
Bone Powder ◽  
Human Cochlea ◽  
Ancient Dna Analysis

Ancient DNA Analysis of the Thulamela Remains: Deciphering the Migratory Patterns of a Southern African Population

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-172
Author(s):  
Molebogeng Bodiba ◽  
Maryna Steyn ◽  
Paulette Bloomer ◽  
Morongwa N. Mosothwane ◽  
Frank Rühli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Iron Age ◽  
Dna Analysis ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Genetic Groups ◽  
African Populations ◽  
Ancient Dna Analysis ◽  
Migratory Patterns ◽  
African Iron Age ◽  
Adna Analysis

Abstract Ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis was employed to obtain information on the population relationships of the two Thulamela individuals (AD 1400-1700) and six other skeletons from various archaeological sites of the southern African Iron Age – Tuli (Botswana), Nwanetsi, Makgope, Happy Rest and Stayt. Although sequences were short, it seems that the Thulamela female aligns somewhat more with eastern populations as opposed to the male who aligns more with western groups. This result is not surprising given that the two individuals were buried at the same site but their burials were hundreds of years apart. It was also possible to identify genetic links between the Iron Age individuals and modern southern African populations (e.g. some of the skeletons assessed showed maternal genetic similarities to present-day Sotho/Tswana groups) and to separate the samples into at least two genetic groups. Poor quality and quantity of DNA meant that only haplogroups, not subhaplogroups, of the individuals could be traced.

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