1992 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Developmental Research on Ancient Social Structures Using DNA Technology
| Project/Area Number |
02509001
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Developmental Scientific Research (A)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
広領域
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| Research Institution | The University of Tokyo |
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Principal Investigator |
UEDA Shintaroh The University of Tokyo Faculty of Science Associate Professor, 理学部, 助教授 (20143357)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
MATSUSHITA Takayuki Nagasaki University School of Medicine Associate Professor, 医学部, 助教授 (80108282)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1990 – 1992
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| Keywords | Ancient Society / Ancient DNA / Individual Identification / Molecular Archaeology / Social Structure / Kinship |
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| Research Abstract |
Individual identification of ancient human remains is one of the most fundamental requisites for studies of palaeo-population genetics including kinship among ancient people, intra- and inter-population structures in ancient times, and the origin of human populations. However, knowledge of these subjects has been based mairly on circumstantial archaeological evidence for kinships and intra-population structure and on genetic studies of modern human populations. In the present research, I developed a method for individual identification of ancient humans using short-nucleotide tandem repeats (short VNTRs) as DNA markers. The most important advantage of short VNTRs is that even tiny differences at the single-nucleotide level are detectable precisely using denaturation polyacrylamide gel, producing comparable data with high reproducibility. The application of this approach to kinship analysis showed clearly the presence or absence of kinship among the ancient remains examined. This study showed that short VNTRs are the most convenient individual DNA markers for not only modern but also ancient humans. Further application of short VNTRs to the study of kinship among ancient humans could help to clarify the origins of families. Moreover, short VNTRs should yield reproducible data for studies of palaeo-population genetics, including intra- and inter-population structures in ancient times and the origin of human populations.
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