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Ancient DNA and Family Relationships in a Pompeian House

  1. Giovanni Di Bernardo,
  2. Stefania Del Gaudio,
  3. Umberto Galderisi,
  4. Antonino Cascino,
  5. Marilena Cipollaro*

Article first published online: 28 MAY 2009

DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-1809.2009.00520.x

Issue

Annals of Human Genetics

Annals of Human Genetics

Volume 73, Issue 4, pages 429–437, July 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

Di Bernardo, G., Del Gaudio, S., Galderisi, U., Cascino, A. and Cipollaro, M. (2009), Ancient DNA and Family Relationships in a Pompeian House. Annals of Human Genetics, 73: 429–437. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-1809.2009.00520.x

Author Information

  1. Department of Experimental Medicine, Biotechnology and Molecular Biology Section, 2nd University of Naples, Via Costantinopoli 16, 80138 Naples, Italy

* *Corresponding author: Marilena Cipollaro, Department of Experimental Medicine, Biotechnology and Molecular Biology Section “Antonino Cascino” 2nd University of Naples, Via Costantinopoli 16, 80138 Naples, Italy. Tel: ++390815667508; Fax: ++390815667547; E-mail: marilena.cipollaro@unina2.it

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 10 JUN 2009
  2. Article first published online: 28 MAY 2009
  3. Received: 28 April 2008Accepted: 4 March 2009

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Keywords:

  • aDNA;
  • mitochondrial DNA;
  • microsatellites;
  • Real-time PCR;
  • relationships

Summary

Archaeological, anthropological and pathological data suggest that thirteen skeletons found in a house at the Pompeii archaeological site, dated to 79 A.D., belong to one family. To verify this and to identify the relationships between these individuals, we analyzed DNA extracted from bone specimens. Specifically, hypervariable segment 1 (HVS1) of the human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region was amplified in two overlapping polymerase chain reactions and the sequences were compared to the revised Cambridge Reference Sequence. As independent controls, other polymorphic sites in HVS1, HVS2 and in the coding region were analyzed. We also amplified some short tandem repeats of the thirteen specimens. This study revealed that six of the thirteen individuals are indeed closely related.

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