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Updated: Jun 16, 2026
Optimized Bone Sampling Protocols for the Retrieval of Ancient DNA from Archaeological Remains
Published on: November 30, 2021
[Genetic identification of an osseous material dating from diverse historical periods]
Andrzej Ossowski1, Jarosław Piatek, Tadeusz Dobosz
1Pracownia Hemogenetyki Sadowej Zakładu Medycyny Sadowej Pomorskiej Akademii Medycznej w Szczecinie al. Powstańców Wlkp. 72, 70-111 Szczecin.
Introduction:
Bad quality and slender amount of the material at our disposal during identity examination and ever growing number of expired and difficult identity cases compelled us to examine: 1) amplification grade and amount of human DNA in degraded biological material originating from diverse environments and historical periods; 20 operating mode in case of biological material from its preparation through isolation, amplification till interpretation of the achieved results; 3) usefulness of the accepted identification and amplification method while creating an identification procedure pattern in case of strongly decayed material.
Materials And Methods:
The research material were samples isolated from: bone fragments collected from grave crypts, bone fragments collected during autopsies performed in the Forensic Medicine Institute PMA and during exhumations. DNA isolation was done by means of modified osseous DNA preparation method proposed by Zołedziewska and Dobosz. DNA amount was determined by means of ABI PRISM 7900HT Sequence Detection System apparatus with the use of Quantifiler Human DNA Qualification Set. The samples were amplified by means of AmpFlSTR SGM Plus set and were separated electrophoretically in the ABI PRISM 310 apparatus.
Conclusions:
1. Environmental conditions like humidity, temperature, subsoil and microorganisms putrefying the body have the greatest influence on the preservation and DNA degradation grade. 2. Low amplification of long DNA fragments testifies that in the future the analysis of degraded DNA would be made with the use of sets based on the short fragments: ca. 100 pz. 3. Time that elapses since death is of less significance when we take into account tissues exposed to unfavourable, multifactoral environmental influence. 4. The method used and introduced modifications can be freely utilised in identification cases when the material is strongly decayed, coming from victims of mass disasters, terrorist attempts, genocide and natural cataclysms when the use of standard methods is impedimented or impossible.
