Paleomicrobiology: a Snapshot of Ancient Microbes and Approaches to Forensic Microbiology

Overview

Journal Microbiol Spectr

Specialty Microbiology

Date 2016 Oct 12

PMID 27726770

Citations 10

Authors

Jessica I Rivera-Perez

Tasha M Santiago-Rodriguez

Gary A Toranzos

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Paleomicrobiology, or the study of ancient microorganisms, has raised both fascination and skepticism for many years. While paleomicrobiology is not a recent field, the application of emerging techniques, such as DNA sequencing, is proving essential and has provided novel information regarding the evolution of viruses, antibiotic resistance, saprophytes, and pathogens, as well as ancient health and disease status, cultural customs, ethnic diets, and historical events. In this review, we highlight the importance of studying ancient microbial DNA, its contributions to current knowledge, and the role that forensic paleomicrobiology has played in deciphering historical enigmas. We also discuss the emerging techniques used to study the microbial composition of ancient samples as well as major concerns that accompany ancient DNA analyses.

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