DNA Extraction from Fossil Eggshell

Avian eggshell fragments recovered from both paleontological and archaeological deposits contain a cache of well-preserved ancient DNA. Here, we describe an extraction protocol that has been optimized to maximize the recovery of ancient DNA from fossil eggshell and minimize the co-purification of PC...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Oskam, C., Bunce, Michael
Format: Book Chapter
Published: Humana Press 2012
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/44107
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author Oskam, C.
Bunce, Michael
author_facet Oskam, C.
Bunce, Michael
author_sort Oskam, C.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Avian eggshell fragments recovered from both paleontological and archaeological deposits contain a cache of well-preserved ancient DNA. Here, we describe an extraction protocol that has been optimized to maximize the recovery of ancient DNA from fossil eggshell and minimize the co-purification of PCR inhibitors. In this method, fossil eggshell fragments are powdered, then digested and heated to release DNA from the calcite matrix. The digest then undergoes a concentration step before purification and washing using silica columns. The method has been used to recover aDNA from the eggshell of many avian species including moa, elephant birds, and emu, up to 19,000 years old.
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
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last_indexed 2025-11-14T09:19:35Z
publishDate 2012
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-441072017-09-13T14:03:55Z DNA Extraction from Fossil Eggshell Oskam, C. Bunce, Michael Avian eggshell fragments recovered from both paleontological and archaeological deposits contain a cache of well-preserved ancient DNA. Here, we describe an extraction protocol that has been optimized to maximize the recovery of ancient DNA from fossil eggshell and minimize the co-purification of PCR inhibitors. In this method, fossil eggshell fragments are powdered, then digested and heated to release DNA from the calcite matrix. The digest then undergoes a concentration step before purification and washing using silica columns. The method has been used to recover aDNA from the eggshell of many avian species including moa, elephant birds, and emu, up to 19,000 years old. 2012 Book Chapter http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/44107 10.1007/978-1-61779-516-9_9 Humana Press restricted
spellingShingle Oskam, C.
Bunce, Michael
DNA Extraction from Fossil Eggshell
title DNA Extraction from Fossil Eggshell
title_full DNA Extraction from Fossil Eggshell
title_fullStr DNA Extraction from Fossil Eggshell
title_full_unstemmed DNA Extraction from Fossil Eggshell
title_short DNA Extraction from Fossil Eggshell
title_sort dna extraction from fossil eggshell
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/44107