Developing methods for analysis of ancient pathogens using next-generation sequencing

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K14615
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Physical anthropology
• Research Institution: National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: SHINODA Ken-ichi 独立行政法人国立科学博物館, その他部局等, 研究調整役 (30131923)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 神澤 秀明 独立行政法人国立科学博物館, 人類研究部, 研究員 (80734912)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 古代DNA解析 / メタゲノム解析 / 次世代シークエンサー / 縄文人 / 歯石 / 江戸時代人 / バクテリアDNA

Outline of Final Research Achievements

DNA analysis of pathogenic microorganisms and tartar from ancient human remains can help in obtaining information such as the origins of diseases and the reproduction of oral environment, which could not be studied by conventional methods. In this study, we pursued the possibility of analyzing ancient pathogens based on the genomic information extracted from human remains. Genomic analysis of pathogenic bacteria failed to produce clear results; however, for the Jomon people, who were considered to be affected by polio, genomic analysis revealed the possibility of them having muscular dystrophy.
In the genomic analysis of oral bacteria of the Jomon and the Edo people, bacterial flora differed between the two, indicating the possibility of a relationship between food intake and oral bacterial flora.

Free Research Field

自然人類学。特に古人骨から抽出したDNAの分析による人類の拡散と集団の起源の研究