Researchers were able to extract DNA from an ancient pendant that was found to belong to a prehistoric Siberian woman.
Ancient Pendant
Using a new extraction technique, scientists were able to isolate DNA from an ancient artifact for the first time, as reported by Live Science. Their efforts were detailed in a paper published in Nature.
The deer-tooth pendant, which is the size of a thumbnail, was found by archaeologists in 2019. The artifact was buried within the Denisova Cave located in southern Siberia's Altai Mountains.
As per Live Science, the cave is known to have housed Neanderthals, Denisovans, and modern-day humans. This is based on DNA and fossil evidence.
Live Science adds that due to the porous nature of teeth, they have higher chances of keeping DNA from sweat or skin cells. This is in comparison to other items.
Because of this, the pendant artifact is a good item for the researchers to test out their new technique on. The researchers explained in a statement that in order to keep the artifact's integrity as they isolate the DNA, they made sure that the technique was not destructive.
The procedures involved the use of small spatula in order to carefully remove sediment remnants from the cave. This was done prior to submerging the item in a sodium phosphate bath. The buffer bath then releases the DNA, starting from the surface level down to the deeper parts of the tooth.
The liquid's temperature was then incrementally increased. Liquid was also swapped several times until the deer and human DNA were isolated from the item.
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DNA of Sibernian Woman
Elena Essel, a co-author of the study and a doctoral candidate from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, explains the DNA quantity that they were able to recover through the procedures was quite mind-blowing. Essel notes expectations to only retrieve small amounts of DNA. However, the researchers were able to isolate enough DNA to differentiate that of the human and the animal.
The scientists were able to compare and contrast the extracted DNA to human populations that are known. By doing so, they were able to determine that the deer and the woman lived roughly 19,000 to 25,000 years ago. They also discovered that the woman had Siberian roots.
It may take further study to know the exact DNA source. However, Essel notes that in terms of time and geography, the findings indeed fit.
CNN notes that this new technique may enable scientists to know more about the sex and genetic ancestry of wearers, makers, and tool users in the Stone Age.
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