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Updated: May 15, 2026
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Discrimintion and Mapping of the Primary and Processed Transcripts in Maize Mitochondrion Using a Circular RT-PCR-based Strategy
Published on: July 29, 2019
Deep sequencing of RNA from ancient maize kernels
Sarah L Fordyce1, Maria C Ávila-Arcos, Morten Rasmussen
1Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Plos One
|January 18, 2013
Summary
Ancient seeds can preserve RNA, offering new insights into plant evolution and domestication. This study demonstrates successful recovery of ancient RNA from maize kernels, validating RNA
Area of Science:
- Paleogenomics
- Molecular Biology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Ancient biomolecule characterization provides unique historical insights.
- Ancient RNA's potential in evolution is largely untapped due to perceived fragility.
- RNA plays a crucial role in seed germination processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential for long-term RNA survival in ancient seeds.
- To explore ancient seed transcriptomics as a tool for studying plant domestication.
Main Methods:
- RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) was performed on complementary DNA (cDNA).
- cDNA was synthesized from nucleic acid extracts of ancient maize kernels.
Main Results:
- Partial transcriptomal recovery was achieved from ancient maize kernels.
- This validates the hypothesis that seeds can preserve ancient RNA.
Conclusions:
- Ancient seeds serve as a viable source for recovering ancient RNA.
- Ancient seed transcriptomics is a promising new method for studying plant domestication and evolution.
