Beyond the Genome: Unravelling Life Processes Using Epigenomes and Ancient RNA

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Ancient DNA in Service of Archaeology" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The power of ancient DNA to archaeological research needs little introduction. Recent technological revolutions in DNA sequencing have allowed entire populations, lineages, ecosystems, and epidemics to be reconstructed. While these large-scale studies address 'big picture’ questions of prehistory, more subtle, specific questions about past organisms' interactions with their surroundings - for example, those surrounding domestication, sudden palaeoclimate change, or local adaptation - can also be asked as part of wider archaeological themes. Recent technological developments allow complex, elusive questions of 'in vivo' processes - what genomes actually do, as opposed to what they are - to also be asked as archaeological questions, through the lens of evolutionary biology. By studying ancient epigenomes, for example, we can see how and when genes are 'switched' on or off, and better understand past, causative environmental events. By sequencing ancient RNA, we are moving towards confirming these processes and more: new research shows the potential to identify otherwise unknown tissues, uncover a greater range of palaeopathogens, and even observe their hosts' genetic responses at the moment of death. Here we present several case studies of our original research using these techniques, illustrating how the various layers of ancient genomics can help serve wider archaeology.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Ancient DNA in Service of Archaeology   •
• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 24091