Retroviral DNA Sequences as a Means for Determining Ancient Diets.

ABSTRACT: For ages, specialists from varying fields have studied the diets of the primeval inhabitants of our planet, detecting diet remains in archaeological specimens using a range of morphological and biochemical methods. As of recent, metagenomic ancient DNA studies have allowed for the comparison of the fecal and gut microbiomes associated to archaeological specimens from various regions of the world; however the complex dynamics represented in those microbial communities still remain unclear. Theoretically, similar to eukaryote DNA the presence of genes from key microbes or enzymes, as well as the presence of DNA from viruses specific to key organisms, may suggest the ingestion of specific diet components. In this study we demonstrate that ancient virus DNA obtained from coprolites also provid

SUBMITTER: Rivera-Perez JI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4682816 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature