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Inferring Past Environments from Ancient Epigenomes.

David Gokhman1, Anat Malul1, Liran Carmel1

  • 1Department of Genetics, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, Israel.

Molecular Biology and Evolution
|September 29, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Ancient DNA methylation maps reveal past environmental conditions. This method reconstructs ancient daily life, disease, and nutrition by analyzing DNA methylation markers in ancient individuals.

Keywords:
DNA methylationancient DNAancient epigeneticsenvironmental epigeneticsenvironmental paleoepigeneticspaleoepigenetics

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Area of Science:

  • Paleogenomics
  • Epigenetics
  • Human Evolution

Background:

  • Understanding past human adaptation requires analyzing historical living conditions.
  • DNA methylation is sensitive to environmental and internal factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose a methodology for reconstructing past environments using ancient DNA methylation.
  • To identify environmentally responsive DNA methylation loci as markers for ancient life.

Main Methods:

  • Reconstruction of premortem DNA methylation maps from ancient individuals.
  • Review of research linking DNA methylation to external/internal factors.
  • Analysis of DNA methylation patterns in ancient hunter-gatherers.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated the presence of hunger-related DNA methylation changes in ancient hunter-gatherers.
  • Identified specific DNA methylation loci responsive to environmental changes.

Conclusions:

  • DNA methylation analysis offers a novel approach to inferring ancient daily life, diseases, nutrition, and toxin exposure.
  • This methodology provides insights into previously inaccessible aspects of past human lives.