Deep sequencing of RNA from ancient maize kernels

Sarah Louise Fordyce, Maria del Carmen Avila Arcos, Morten Rasmussen, Enrico Cappellini, J. Alberto Romero-Navarro, Nathan Wales, David Eugenio Alquezar Planas, Steven Penfield, Terence A. Brown, Jean-Philippe Vielle-Calzada, Rafael Montiel, Tina Jørgensen, Nancy Odegaard, Michael Jacobs, Bernardo Arriaza, Thomas F. G. Higham, Christopher Bronk Ramsey, Eske Willerslev, Tom Gilbert

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    Abstract

    The characterization of biomolecules from ancient samples can shed otherwise unobtainable insights into the past. Despite the fundamental role of transcriptomal change in evolution, the potential of ancient RNA remains unexploited - perhaps due to dogma associated with the fragility of RNA. We hypothesize that seeds offer a plausible refuge for long-term RNA survival, due to the fundamental role of RNA during seed germination. Using RNA-Seq on cDNA synthesized from nucleic acid extracts, we validate this hypothesis through demonstration of partial transcriptomal recovery from two sources of ancient maize kernels. The results suggest that ancient seed transcriptomics may offer a powerful new tool with which to study plant domestication.
    Original languageEnglish
    Article numbere50961
    JournalPLoS ONE
    Volume8
    Issue number1
    Number of pages9
    ISSN1932-6203
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 11 Jan 2013

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