Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2025
07:33
A Whole Mount In Situ Hybridization Method for the Gastropod Mollusc Lymnaea stagnalis
Published on: March 15, 2016
8.8K
Advancing responsible genomic analyses of ancient mollusc shells
Raphaël Martin-Roy1, Jakob Thyrring2,3, Xavier Mata1
1Centre for Anthropobiology and Genomics of Toulouse, UMR5288, CNRS, University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France.
Plos One
|May 6, 2024
Summary
Ancient mollusc shells hold valuable DNA for evolutionary studies. Optimized DNA extraction methods from these shells improve ancient genomics, revealing past environmental responses.
Area of Science:
- Paleogenomics
- Biomineralization
- Marine Biology
Background:
- Ancient mollusc shells offer insights into evolutionary and ecological history.
- Reconstructing past molluscan responses to climate change and human activities requires high-resolution genomic data.
- Current ancient genomics applications are limited by understanding DNA preservation in shells and optimizing data generation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To optimize methods for ancient mollusc shell DNA recovery and analysis.
- To investigate the impact of imaging, extraction protocols, and sub-sampling on DNA yield.
- To assess the suitability of different shell layers as DNA reservoirs.
Main Methods:
- High-throughput DNA sequencing of 27 Mytilus mussel shells (6500–111 years Before Present).
- Evaluation of micro-computed tomography's effect on DNA.
- Comparison of DNA extraction protocols including pre-treatments (double-digestion, bleach).
- Analysis of DNA content across different shell layers (nacreous, prismatic, periostracum).
Main Results:
- Micro-computed tomography imaging did not negatively impact DNA recovery.
- Double-digestion and bleach treatment significantly improved DNA yield.
- All shell layers (aragonite, calcite, periostracum) contain DNA, with aragonite being the most effective reservoir.
- DNA appears to be protected within preservation niches in the shells.
Conclusions:
- Optimized DNA extraction protocols enhance ancient mollusc shell genomic analyses.
- Shell layers, particularly aragonite, are valuable for long-term DNA preservation.
- These findings provide recommendations for efficient and responsible ancient mollusc genomics.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
02:05Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?
7.1K
The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
In contrast, regions which code...
In contrast, regions which code...
7.1K
02:54Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons
5.7K
Genome comparison is one of the excellent ways to interpret the evolutionary relationships between organisms. The basic principle of genome comparison is that if two species share a common feature, it is likely encoded by the DNA sequence conserved between both species. The advent of genome sequencing technologies in the late 20th century enabled scientists to understand the concept of conservation of domains between species and helped them to deduce evolutionary relationships across diverse...
5.7K
03:00Next-generation Sequencing
88.7K
The first human genome sequencing project cost $2.7 billion and was declared complete in 2003, after 15 years of international cooperation and collaboration between several research teams and funding agencies. Today, with the advent of next-generation sequencing technologies, the cost and time of sequencing a human genome have dropped over 100 fold.
Next-Generation Sequencing Methods
Although all next-generation methods use different technologies, they all share a set of standard features....
Next-Generation Sequencing Methods
Although all next-generation methods use different technologies, they all share a set of standard features....
88.7K
02:24Ribosome Profiling
3.5K
Ribosome profiling or ribo-sequencing is a deep sequencing technique that produces a snapshot of active translation in a cell. It selectively sequences the mRNAs protected by ribosomes to get an insight into a cell’s translation landscape at any given point in time.
Applications of ribosome profiling
Ribosome profiling has many applications, including in vivo monitoring of translation inside a particular organ or tissue type and quantifying new protein synthesis levels.
The technique...
Applications of ribosome profiling
Ribosome profiling has many applications, including in vivo monitoring of translation inside a particular organ or tissue type and quantifying new protein synthesis levels.
The technique...
3.5K