New Machine Sheds Light on DNA of Neanderthals

[Jack]

One million units of Neanderthal DNA have already been analyzed, and a draft version of the entire genome, 3.2 billion units in length, should be ready in two years, said Dr. Svante Paabo, the leader of the research project at the Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany. Biologists expect knowledge of the Neanderthal genome to reveal, by its differences with the human genome, many distinctive qualities of what it means to be human. Researchers also hope to resolve such questions as whether the Neanderthals spoke, what their hair and skin color were, and whether they interbred at all with the modern humans who first arrived on their doorstep 45,000 years ago, or were driven to extinction without leaving any genetic legacy. Dr. Paabo has shared some of his precious sample of Neanderthal DNA with Edward M. Rubin of the Joint Genome Institute in Walnut Creek, Calif., whose team has identified 62,250 units of Neanderthal DNA by a different method. The two teams report their results in the journals Nature and Science respectively, saying they have independently demonstrated that recovery of the Neanderthal genome is now possible. Archaeologists have shown that as the first modern humans, known as the Aurignacian culture, moved westward across Europe, the Neanderthals receded in parallel. By 30,000 years ago or even earlier, the Aurignacian conquest of Europe was complete and the Neanderthals had disappeared from their last refuges in what are now Spain and Portugal. Dr. Paabo began his quest for Neanderthal DNA more than a decade ago, and has had to overcome a daunting array of obstacles. Many extravagant claims were then being made about DNA in old bones, with some scientists claiming to have recovered DNA from dinosaur bones millions of years old. But such bones were often contaminated by the DNA of the people who handled them, and Dr. Paabo saved the field from sliding into disrepute by demonstrating the extreme precautions necessary to avoid analyzing human DNA by mistake. In 1997 he succeeded in analyzing part of the Neanderthal mitochondrial DNA, showing that it differed profoundly from modern human DNA. Mitochondria, the small organelles that provide the cell’s energy, are separate from the main genome in the cell’s nucleus. Since the nuclear DNA in old bones is degraded into millions of short fragments, 50 or so units in length, it seemed beyond hope of retrieval. But recently a new kind of DNA sequencing machine was invented. Made by 454 Life Sciences of Branford, Conn., it prompts each DNA unit to generate a flash of light by stimulating the firefly enzyme luciferase. The flashes are captured by a charge-coupled device, the image-sensing plate used in telescopes to capture the light of distant stars. From the timing and position of the flashes, a computer reconstructs the sequence of the DNA units. As it happens, the kind of DNA the 454 machine works best with are tiny fragments the size of those found in old bones.

Source

This kind of science just amazes me. We are making huge strides in understanding our early history on this planet.

Another thing that amazes me is the time frames we're discussing. When you have a reference like the U.S. only being 200+ years old, christianity only being 2000 years old, then you read this;

They may well have been terrifying to the lighter-boned modern humans who first encountered them, except that their weapons were considerably less advanced. The Neanderthals still used a million-year-old stone tool kit that modern humans had abandoned some 5,000 years before encountering Neanderthals.

it's pretty humbling. Homo sapiens have been around only for about 50,000 years. Mammals have existed for only 200 million years of the estimated 3.5 to 4 billion years the planet's been here.

[gallo]

Like you, I am amazed and humbled. However, one number is off a little. Modern humans first show up in the fossil record about 130,000 years ago, but of course, those fossils are found in Africa. Modern humans moved into the Levant and then Europe about 50,000 years ago. The age of mammals at about 200-210 million years (late Triassic) is good.

[Milton Bradley]

Very interesting stuff.


Any bets on whether the results indicate that the Neanderthals successfully integrated into the human population?

[Pooeypants]

That's one for the bioinformaticists...dear lord what a job they've got...

[gallo]

Quote by: Milton Bradley Any bets on whether the results indicate that the Neanderthals successfully integrated into the human population?

My bet is no. mtDNA has been successfully extracted from 12 specimens and they all seem to indicate that there was no interbreeding.

[Jack]

Any bets on whether the results indicate that the Neanderthals successfully integrated into the human population?

I believe science will show that indeed they did. The descendants of those couples crossed over the Northern land bridge and eventually found their way to Lynchburg, Virginia. Their current numbers are in the low hundreds and they've all joined together as members of Thomas Road Baptist Church. Extinction is anticipated almost every century, but they've shown themselves to be prolific reproducers.

[Rainbow]

Quote by: Isherwood Source

I followed that link.
Incredible works performmed by German institute, indeed.

It seems to support a concept that Mankind is the result of genetical experiment.
First "they" wipped out all the human-alike living species (in order to make the place fully compatible and/or environment ready to proceed with).
Next, "they" created Homo Sapiens.
Now, "they" visit planet Earth and supervise us (randomly).
Forrer: Ezechiel-Faehre