科技新闻（1）骨架产生了已知最古老的人类DNA

蒋继平

2013年12月5日

今天收到Sigma Xi，The Scientific Research Society 发来的简讯（Sigma Xi SmartBrief），其首条新闻是：

'Pit of Bones' Yields Oldest Known Human DNA，翻译成中文是：骨架产生了已知最古老的人类DNA。

Dec. 4,2013

ByGILLIAN MOHNEY

S

The skeleton of a Homo heidelbergensis from Sima de los Huesos, a uniquecave site in Northern Spain.

JavierTrueba/Madrid Scientific Films

Researchers have uncovered a new clue about human origins after discovering the oldest known human DNA in a legendary Spanish archeological site called Sima de los Huesos, or the "Pit of Bones."

Researchers were able to extract DNA from a leg bone that was estimated to be 400,000 years old. After extracting the DNA from a femur bone,Matthias Meyer, who published his findings in a study in the journal Nature, was able to replicate the entire genome for the ancient human relative.

Newson the Human Genome Project

The genetic sequence surprised researchers, who thought it was likely that the sequence would reveal that remains were related to the Neanderthals.Instead,the genetic sequence revealed that this early human species is related to another genetic cousin of modern humans,the mysteriousDenisovans.

Littlei s known about the Denisovans, who are thought to have been common throughout the regions now known as Asia and Eastern Europe. Thisearly human species was discovered after genetic sequencing was used to map DNA through the ancient pinkie bone of a girl in 2010.

Anthropologists and genetic experts said the findings from the Pit of Bones could help shed light on how early human species evolved and spread across different continents.

"This places what we have to assume from the genetic sequence is an earlier branch of our family that goes back even further" in time, said Kenneth Kidd, professor of genetics at the Yale University School of Medicine. Kidd said since the DNA was from 400,000 years ago, thismysterious human relative likely predated most Neanderthals.

Kidd explained that one reason there is little known about the Denisovans is that "the Neanderthals may have annihilated the Denisovans,"similar to how the Neanderthals died off as modern humans became more populous.

If you're wondering if you're related to the ancient DNA, Kidd said there is no evidence that the Denisovans provided any genetic material for the modern human race.

Theodore Schurr, professor of anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania,said the findings were significant since it showed clearly how DNA mapping was changing the field of anthropology. Schurr said solelyfrom the skeletal remains researchers thought the human species appeared to be related to Neanderthals.

"This is also significant because it's the DNA coming from the oldest remains," said Schurr. "It's interesting to compare the skeletons to the genetics because the stories may not match up."

连接：http://abcnews.go.com/Health/pit-bones-yields-oldest-human-dna/story?id=21093890

文中的大意是：最近在西班牙的一个考古场所发现了一具人类的骨架。研究人员对这个骨架的腿骨进行了遗传物质(DNA)的测序。测序的结果显示这具骨架属于一个已经有40万年的人类种群。这个种群属于不为人知的Denisovans，而与已知的一个人类种群Neanderthals没有多少关系。

考古学家和遗传专家们认为这个发现可以帮助人们理解早期人类的进化和在世界各大洲之间分布的情况。