The Promise of Paleogenomics Beyond Our Own Species

Katherine Brunson; David Reich

doi:10.1016/j.tig.2019.02.006

The Promise of Paleogenomics Beyond Our Own Species

Trends Genet. 2019 May;35(5):319-329. doi: 10.1016/j.tig.2019.02.006. Epub 2019 Apr 4.

Authors

Katherine Brunson¹, David Reich²

Affiliations

¹ Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA. Electronic address: katherine_brunson@brown.edu.
² Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.

PMID: 30954285
DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2019.02.006

Abstract

Paleogenomics, also known as genome-wide ancient DNA analysis, is transforming our understanding of the human past, but has been much less intensively used to understand the history of other species. However, paleogenomic studies of non-human animals and plants have the potential to address an equally rich range of evolutionary, paleoecological, paleoenvironmental, and archaeological research questions. Three recent case studies of cave bears, horses, and maize provide examples of the ways that paleogenomics can be used to examine potential causes of extinctions and dynamic processes of domestication. Much more research in these areas is needed, and we conclude by highlighting key future directions.

Keywords: cave bear; domestication; horse; maize; paleogenomics.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Biological Evolution
DNA, Ancient
Genome-Wide Association Study
Genomics* / methods
Geography
Horses
Humans
Paleontology* / methods
Species Specificity
Zea mays / genetics

Substances

DNA, Ancient

Grants and funding

HHMI/Howard Hughes Medical Institute/United States