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Updated: May 2, 2026
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Optimized Bone Sampling Protocols for the Retrieval of Ancient DNA from Archaeological Remains
Published on: November 30, 2021
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Probing the zooarchaeological record across time and space for ancient pathogen DNA
Anne Kathrine W Runge1, Ian Light-Maka2,3, Ken Massy4
1Evolutionary Pathogenomics, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany. ak@palaeome.org.
Nature Communications
|April 30, 2026
Summary
Ancient animal remains reveal the origins of zoonotic diseases. Pathological and genetic analysis of skeletal elements identified 29 ancient pathogens, offering insights into prehistoric animal and human health.
Area of Science:
- Paleomicrobiology
- Zooarchaeology
- Ancient Genomics
Background:
- Zoonotic diseases pose significant threats to human health, with origins often linked to the Neolithic period.
- Investigating ancient animal remains offers a unique window into the evolution and transmission of zoonotic pathogens.
- Challenges include identifying suitable specimens and ensuring pathogen DNA preservation in archaeological samples.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and characteristics of ancient zoonotic pathogens in animal skeletal remains.
- To assess the utility of palaeopathology in guiding specimen selection for ancient pathogen discovery.
- To reconstruct the evolutionary history of specific zoonotic pathogens using ancient DNA.
Main Methods:
- Examination of 346 skeletal elements from domesticated and wild animals across 34 Eurasian sites (last 6 millennia).
- Palaeopathological analysis to identify disease indicators.
- Ancient DNA extraction, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis to detect and authenticate pathogens.
Main Results:
- Identified 116 signatures of 29 ancient (opportunistic) pathogens.
- Palaeopathological lesions were found to be reliable indicators for selecting specimens for pathogen analysis.
- Confirmed the ancient presence of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae and Streptococcus lutetiensis through phylogenetic analysis.
Conclusions:
- Integrating zooarchaeological, palaeopathological, and genetic data provides a robust framework for studying prehistoric zoonotic diseases.
- This approach allows for the exploration of ancient pathogen genomes and their relationship with modern relatives.
- The study highlights the potential of paleomicrobiology to uncover the past dynamics of animal-borne diseases.
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