Abstract
The characterisation of ancient tuberculosis is not totally dependent on the recovery of intact genomes. Judicious combinations of ancient DNA fragments and specific lipid biomarkers provide unambiguous diagnosis and these protocols are capable of refinement and extension. Currently, there is no direct evidence for exclusive co-evolution of humans and tuberculosis. A developing body of data suggests that the initial evolution of tuberculosis may readily have taken place in a range of Pleistocene megafauna.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 781-783 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | The Holocene |
Volume | 30 |
Issue number | 5 |
Early online date | 5 Jan 2020 |
DOIs |
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Publication status | Published - 1 May 2020 |
Keywords
- DNA fragment amplification
- Pleistocene megafauna
- ancient tuberculosis
- genomes
- lipid biomarkers
- paleopathology
- tuberculosis evolution