The biomolecular characterization of a finger ring contextually dated to the emergence of the Early Neolithic from Syltholm, Denmark.

We present the analysis of an osseous finger ring from a predominantly early Neolithic context in Denmark. To characterize the artefact and identify the raw material used for its manufacture, we performed micro-computed tomography scanning, zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (ZooMS) peptide mass fingerprinting, as well as protein sequencing by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). We conclude that the ring was made from long bone or antler due to the presence of osteons (Haversian canals). Subsequent ZooMS analysis of collagen I and II indicated that it was made from Alces alces or Cervus elaphus material. We then used LC-MS/MS analysis to refine our species identification, confirming that the ring was made from Cervus elaphus, and to examine the rest of the proteome. This study demonstrates the potential of ancient proteomics for species identification of prehistoric artefacts made from osseous material

An integrated analysis of Maglemose bone points reframes the Early Mesolithic of Southern Scandinavia

The extensive peat bogs of Southern Scandinavia have yielded rich Mesolithic archaeological assemblages, with one of the most iconic artefacts being the bone point. Although great in number they remain understudied. Here we present a combined investigation of the typology, protein-based species composition, and absolute chronology of Maglemosian bone points. The majority of the bone points are made from cervids and bovines. However, changes both in species composition and barb morphology can be directly linked to a paucity of finds lasting nearly 600 years in Southern Scandinavia around 10,300 cal BP. We hypothesize that this hiatus was climate-driven and forced hunter-gatherers to abandon the lakes. Furthermore, the marked change in bone points coincides with a change in lithic technology. We, therefore, propose that the Maglemose culture in Southern Scandinavia is fundamentally divided into an Early Complex and a Late Complex

The extinct Sicilian wolf shows a complex history of isolation and admixture with ancient dogs

The Sicilian wolf remained isolated in Sicily from the end of the Pleistocene until its extermination in the 1930s–1960s. Given its long-term isolation on the island and distinctive morphology, the genetic origin of the Sicilian wolf remains debated. We sequenced four nuclear genomes and five mitogenomes from the seven existing museum specimens to investigate the Sicilian wolf ancestry, relationships with extant and extinct wolves and dogs, and diversity. Our results show that the Sicilian wolf is most closely related to the Italian wolf but carries ancestry from a lineage related to European Eneolithic and Bronze Age dogs. The average nucleotide diversity of the Sicilian wolf was half of the Italian wolf, with 37–50% of its genome contained in runs of homozygosity. Overall, we show that, by the time it went extinct, the Sicilian wolf had high inbreeding and low-genetic diversity, consistent with a population in an insular environmen

Article The extinct Sicilian wolf shows a complex history of isolation and admixture with ancient dogs

The Sicilian wolf remained isolated in Sicily from the end of the Pleistocene until its extermination in the 1930s-1960s. Given its long-term isolation on the island and distinctive morphology, the genetic origin of the Sicilian wolf remains debated. We sequenced four nuclear genomes and five mitogenomes from the seven existing museum specimens to investigate the Sicilian wolf ancestry, rela-tionships with extant and extinct wolves and dogs, and diversity. Our results show that the Sicilian wolf is most closely related to the Italian wolf but carries ancestry from a lineage related to European Eneolithic and Bronze Age dogs. The average nucleotide diversity of the Sicilian wolf was half of the Italian wolf, with 37-50% of its genome contained in runs of homozygosity. Overall, we show that, by the time it went extinct, the Sicilian wolf had high inbreeding and low-genetic diversity, consistent with a population in an insular environment

A 5700 year-old human genome and oral microbiome from chewed birch pitch

Abstract: The rise of ancient genomics has revolutionised our understanding of human prehistory but this work depends on the availability of suitable samples. Here we present a complete ancient human genome and oral microbiome sequenced from a 5700 year-old piece of chewed birch pitch from Denmark. We sequence the human genome to an average depth of 2.3× and find that the individual who chewed the pitch was female and that she was genetically more closely related to western hunter-gatherers from mainland Europe than hunter-gatherers from central Scandinavia. We also find that she likely had dark skin, dark brown hair and blue eyes. In addition, we identify DNA fragments from several bacterial and viral taxa, including Epstein-Barr virus, as well as animal and plant DNA, which may have derived from a recent meal. The results highlight the potential of chewed birch pitch as a source of ancient DNA

A 5700 year-old human genome and oral microbiome from chewed birch pitch

Abstract: The rise of ancient genomics has revolutionised our understanding of human prehistory but this work depends on the availability of suitable samples. Here we present a complete ancient human genome and oral microbiome sequenced from a 5700 year-old piece of chewed birch pitch from Denmark. We sequence the human genome to an average depth of 2.3× and find that the individual who chewed the pitch was female and that she was genetically more closely related to western hunter-gatherers from mainland Europe than hunter-gatherers from central Scandinavia. We also find that she likely had dark skin, dark brown hair and blue eyes. In addition, we identify DNA fragments from several bacterial and viral taxa, including Epstein-Barr virus, as well as animal and plant DNA, which may have derived from a recent meal. The results highlight the potential of chewed birch pitch as a source of ancient DNA

Genetisk opphav til den norsksvenske ulvestammen (Canis lupus lupus)

Den genetiske opprinnelsen til den norsk-svenske ulvebestanden har vært debattert helt siden den tilsynelatende ble reetablert på 1980-tallet. Det er stilt spørsmål om bestanden kan være nedstammet fra andre ulver enn de som hører hjemme i dagens Fennoskandia, og i hvilken grad den bærer på arvemateriale fra hund som følge av hybridisering. Slike spørsmål har tidligere vært undersøkt ved hjelp av genetiske markører med lav oppløsning, som mitokondrier og mikrosatellitter, samt analyser av et begrenset antall hele genomer. Sistnevnte har vært basert på prøver samlet over en for begrenset romlig og temporal utstrekning til å kunne konkludere sikkert om genetisk opphav til norsk-svensk ulv. Dette har igjen gitt rom for tvil med tanke på bruken av disse dataene i forvaltningssammenheng. NTNU Vitenskapsmuseet fikk i oppdrag å lede et samarbeid som skulle undersøke opprinnelsen til de norsksvenske ulvene på nytt, samt å undersøke graden av hybridisering mellom hund og ulv. Dette arbeidet skulle utføres ved å skaffe til veie et nytt datasett bestående av helgenomsekvenser fra hele ulvens utbredelsesområde og bestående av både moderne og historiske ulveprøver. I alt 34 forskere og institusjoner har hjulpet med innsamling av materiale, og takket være dette samarbeidet kan vi presentere resultater basert på et datasett som representerer den globale genetiske sammensetningen til ulv og hund. Vi konkluderer for det første med at den moderne norsk-svenske ulvestammen er genetisk mest lik finsk ulv, nærmere bestemt en delpopulasjon som i dag hovedsakelig finnes i det sørvestlige Finland. Vi finner det ikke sannsynlig at den opprinnelige norsk-svenske ulvebestanden, som ble utryddet en gang før 1970, bidro genetisk inn i den nåværende bestanden. Imidlertid finner vi at visse ulver som fortsatt holdes i dyrehager i Finland og Sverige genetisk sett er nærmere den historiske populasjonen, og slik sett muligvis representerer siste gjenlevende rest av denne nå utryddede bestanden. I tråd med tidligere studier finner vi at dagens norsksvenske ulver har blant de laveste nivåene av innblanding fra hund sammenlignet med andre ulver i verden som vi har studert. Vi viser også at den norsk-svenske bestanden er svært innavlet sammenlignet med ulver fra andre deler av verden, og selv om den danner en egen genetisk klynge, genetisk adskilt fra andre ulvebestander, så finner vi ingen indikasjoner på spesielle eller unike genetiske tilpasninger i norsk-svensk ulv. Dette prosjektet er gjennomført uavhengig og upartisk, uten påvirkning eller press fra noen andre instanser. Det er resultatet av et teamarbeid utført av medarbeidere ved Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet og København universitet. Vi ønsker å takke alle som har bidratt med prøver som har gjort dette studiet mulig, så vel som medlemmer av den vitenskapelige rådgivningsgruppen. Nøkkelord: next-generation sequencing, museum, vitenskapelig samling, whole genome sequencing, ancient DNA, aDNA, high-throughput, bioinformatikk, innavl, seleksjon, fitness, hybridisering, hun

Conservation implications of elucidating the Korean wolf taxonomic ambiguity through whole-genome sequencing

The taxonomic status of the now likely extirpated Korean Peninsula wolf has been extensively debated, with some arguing it represents an independent wolf lineage, Canis coreanus. To investigate the Korean wolf's genetic affiliations and taxonomic status, we sequenced and analysed the genomes of a Korean wolf dated to the beginning of the 20th century, and a captive wolf originally from the Pyongyang Central Zoo. Our results indicated that the Korean wolf bears similar genetic ancestry to other regional East Asian populations, therefore suggesting it is not a distinct taxonomic lineage. We identified regional patterns of wolf population structure and admixture in East Asia with potential conservation consequences in the Korean Peninsula and on a regional scale. We find that the Korean wolf has similar genomic diversity and inbreeding to other East Asian wolves. Finally, we show that, in contrast to the historical sample, the captive wolf is genetically more similar to wolves from the Tibetan Plateau; hence, Korean wolf conservation programmes might not benefit from the inclusion of this specimen