66930 - Archaeogenetics

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student has basic technical-scientific and practical skills concerning the application of biomolecular technologies to the study and preservation of biological materials coming from archaeological contexts, in particular as it concerns the analysis of DNA extracted from human, animal and plant remains, aimed at their characterization and genetic identification and related scientific topics.

Course contents

General notions of cell biology. Structure of cells: prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Fundamental principles of phylogenesis and systematics of living organisms. The genome. Inheritance of biological characteristics. The DNA: structure and function. The genetic code. Protein synthesis. Mutations and genetic recombination. Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA.

The variability of human genome: the genetic polymorphisms. The analysis of human genome variability: genetic markers of mitochondrial and nuclear genome. Fundamental topics of population and evolutionary genetics.

The ancient DNA: first studies, conservation of samples, contamination and degradation of DNA. The sampling on the archaeological excavation. The recovery and the choice of appropriate samples.

Laboratory methods: DNA extraction, horizontal electrophoresis, DNA amplification, Real Time PCR, sequencing and capillary electrophoresis. New frontiers of analysis: the NGS (Next Generation Sequencing) technologies.

Applications: study of origin and diffusion of modern humans and Neanderthals, the Denisovans, Europe settlement, sex determination, personal identification, determination of kinship, identification of animal and plant species, processes and centers of domestication in some animal and plant species, phylogenetic analysis and genetic continuity, identification and spread of specific infective or hereditary pathologies.

The course includes practical lessons in the laboratory where the students can extract and amplify DNA from biological samples (buccal mucous, plant samples and bioarchaeological finds).

Readings/Bibliography

Caramelli D. - Antropologia molecolare: manuale di base. Firenze University Press, 2009. Rollo F.: Il DNA nello studio dei resti umani antichi. Medical Books, 1999.

Brown T., Brown K.- Biomolecular archaeology. An introduction. Wiley-Blackwell, 2011

Martin J. - Cacciatori di molecole. L'archeologia alla ricerca del DNA antico. Carocci, 2005

Details about the use of these manuals will be provided during the course.

The slides of the lessons will be provided.

Scientific papers about the topics of the course will be provided during classes.

Teaching methods

The course is based on lectures dealing with the program topics, supplemented by practical laboratory exercises, involving the application of molecular biology techniques and the analysis and interpretation of data using suitable computer programs.

Assessment methods

Student evaluation consists of an oral exam on the entire course program. The student must show that he/she has acquired adequate general and systematic knowledge of the various topics and has mastered the scientific and methodological tools, both on the theoretical and applicative level, of the Archaeogenetics research.

Non-attending students. The frequency of the lessons is strongly recommended for the achievement of a good profit because for the examination test are also required technical knowledge that are acquired during the course, composed of both frontal lessons and practical lessons of laboratory. However, students who for valid reasons can not attend the course are invited to ask the teacher for the suggestion of the necessary supplementary texts.

Teaching tools

Projector, PC, slides (power-point presentations) and lecture notes showing the latest scientific literature. Laboratory exercises will be carried out with suitable materials and instruments.

Office hours

See the website of Elisabetta Cilli