Molecular ecology of a Neolithic meadow: The DNA of the grass remains from the archaeological site of the Tyrolean Iceman |
| |
Authors: | F. Rollo W. Asci S. Antonini I. Marota M. Ubaldi |
| |
Affiliation: | (1) Dipartimento di Biologia Moleculare, Cellulare e Animale, Università di Camerino, I-62032 Camerino, (Italy);(2) Scuola di Specializzazione in Biochimica e Chimica Clinica, Università di Camerino, I-62032 Camerino, (Italy) |
| |
Abstract: | The paper reports on the molecular analysis of samples of approximately 5,300-year-old grass found at the alpine archaeological site where the so-called Tyrolean Iceman was discovered. The grass comes from a cloak made of long grass blades and/or the stuffing of the snow footwear worn by the Iceman. The results show that while the largest fraction of the DNA extractable from the grass is of foreign origin, a much smaller part belongs to the original genetic material of the grass itself, and can be used as a valuable taxonomic clue to the plant species utilized by neolithic men to manufacture their equipment. On the other hand, the foreign DNA, or at least a portion of it, comes from microorganisms-mainly filamentous fungi and unicellular algae-which seem to have been associated with the grass since the time the grass was harvested. |
| |
Keywords: | Frozen plant remains grasses plant pathogenic fungi Tyrolean Iceman ancient DNA Neolithic |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|