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Removal of Exogenous Materials from the Outer Portion of Frozen Cores to Investigate the Ancient Biological Communities Harbored Inside
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Microbial communities in pre-columbian coprolites.

Tasha M Santiago-Rodriguez1, Yvonne M Narganes-Storde, Luis Chanlatte

  • 1Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America.

Plos One
|June 12, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Ancient coprolites reveal distinct intestinal microbiota compositions between Huecoid and Saladoid cultures. This research offers a new method for analyzing ancient gut microbiome diversity and diet.

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Paleoecology
  • Ancient DNA Analysis

Background:

  • Coprolites offer a unique window into past intestinal microbiota.
  • Studying ancient gut microbiomes can reveal insights into diet and health of past populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the microbial composition of pre-Columbian Huecoid and Saladoid coprolites.
  • To determine if distinct microbial profiles correlate with specific ancient cultures.
  • To explore the potential of coprolites for understanding ancient dietary habits.

Main Methods:

  • Cytochemical staining for DNA, proteins, and lipids.
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for human/dog-specific Bacteroides spp.
  • Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis for bacteria, fungi, and archaea.

Main Results:

  • DNA, proteins, lipids, and human-specific Bacteroides DNA were detected in all samples.
  • Microbial profiles clustered significantly by culture (Huecoid vs. Saladoid).
  • Distinct bacterial and fungal communities were identified, with notable differences in dominant phyla and yeast types between cultures.

Conclusions:

  • Coprolite analysis can differentiate ancient microbial communities and infer cultural/dietary differences.
  • The Huecoid and Saladoid cultures exhibited unique gut microbiome signatures.
  • This study establishes a robust methodology for ancient microbiome research using coprolites.