Pompeii: Researchers read the DNA of a man who died in the explosion of Vesuvius

Significant achievements were made by scientists from Italy, Denmark, the USA and Brazil, as they were able to decode DNA of a man who died in his explosion Vesuvius in Pompeii.

The research was published in the journal Scientific Reports, with the heads of the universities of Copenhagen and Salento (Lecce), Gabriele Scorano and Serena Viva, respectively, analyzing the skeletons of two people (a man aged 35-40 and a woman over 50). years) which were discovered at the House of Craftsmen in Pompeii and from which DNA samples were taken.

So, as the nature.com which reproduced the publication, it was possible to read the complete genome of only the man, while this is the first time such a thing has been achieved.

The part of the skeleton where the scientists took the DNA sample

In fact, a comparison with DNA from 1,030 other ancient skeletons and 471 modern Western Europeans shows that the DNA of the unfortunate man of Pompeii bore greater resemblance to that of the modern inhabitants of central Italy and those who lived in Italy during the Roman imperial period. Also, its genetic material has genes that are usually found in Sardinia. There were also indications that the man had contracted a bacterium that causes tuberculosis.

Now, the scientists hope that in the future they will be able to “read” the complete genome of other Pompeii skeletonsthus shedding more light on the genetic history and lives of its population.

Source: News Beast

You may also like