Successful Extraction of Insect DNA from Recent Copal Inclusions: Limits and Perspectives

Overview

Journal Sci Rep

Specialty Science

Date 2021 Mar 26

PMID 33767248

Citations 4

Authors

Alessandra Modi

Chiara Vergata

Cristina Zilli

Chiara Vischioni

Stefania Vai

Guidantonio Malagoli Tagliazucchi

Martina Lari

David Caramelli

Cristian Taccioli

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Insects entombed in copal, the sub-fossilized resin precursor of amber, represent a potential source of genetic data for extinct and extant, but endangered or elusive, species. Despite several studies demonstrated that it is not possible to recover endogenous DNA from insect inclusions, the preservation of biomolecules in fossilized resins samples is still under debate. In this study, we tested the possibility of obtaining endogenous ancient DNA (aDNA) molecules from insects preserved in copal, applying experimental protocols specifically designed for aDNA recovery. We were able to extract endogenous DNA molecules from one of the two samples analyzed, and to identify the taxonomic status of the specimen. Even if the sample was found well protected from external contaminants, the recovered DNA was low concentrated and extremely degraded, compared to the sample age. We conclude that it is possible to obtain genomic data from resin-entombed organisms, although we discourage aDNA analysis because of the destructive method of extraction protocols and the non-reproducibility of the results.

Citing Articles

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Vassallo A, Modi A, Quagliariello A, Bacci G, Faddetta T, Gallo M Microbiol Spectr. 2023; 11(3):e0437422.

PMID: 37071008 PMC: 10269861. DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04374-22.

Morphological and organic spectroscopic studies of a 44-million-year-old leaf beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in amber with endogenous remains of chitin.

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