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Molecular studies of microbial community structure on stained pages of Leonardo da Vinci's Atlantic Codex

Pamela Principi1, Federica Villa, Claudia Sorlini

  • 1Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Alimentari e Microbiologiche (DiSTAM), Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 2, 20133, Milan, Italy.

Microbial Ecology
|September 3, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Molecular analysis revealed no active microbial communities linked to staining on Leonardo da Vinci

Area of Science:

  • Manuscript preservation
  • Microbiology
  • Molecular biology

Background:

  • Visual inspection in 2006 reported active molds on stained pages of Leonardo da Vinci's Atlantic Codex.
  • Previous assessments relied on visual inspection, necessitating molecular methods for accurate risk evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the current microbiological risk to stained pages of the Atlantic Codex using molecular techniques.
  • To identify bacterial and fungal communities present on the manuscript's stained areas.

Main Methods:

  • Non-invasive sampling using nitrocellulose membranes.
  • Molecular analysis including Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) of 16S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer regions.
  • Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for community structure analysis.
  • Construction of bacterial and fungal clone libraries for Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) identification.

Main Results:

  • No direct relationship was found between active microbial communities and the staining on the Codex pages.
  • Bacterial OTUs were identified, with some linked to cleanroom environments and others to human skin contamination.
  • Fungal OTUs included potential biodeteriogens capable of growth under suitable environmental conditions.

Conclusions:

  • Microbiological risk to the Atlantic Codex is not directly correlated with existing staining.
  • The presence of microorganisms associated with human contact and potential biodeteriogens highlights the need for enhanced environmental monitoring.
  • Improved handling procedures are recommended to mitigate potential risks to the manuscript.

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