The kinship was analyzed genetically on the three 2000 year old ancient human bones and teeth excavated in Mongolia. The samples were processed in a clean room to prevent the contamination from modern human DNA. The DNA extraction and purification was done with ion-exchange column kit (Qiagen G-tip 20G, USA). The PCR was done with purified DNAs from ancient human bones for paternal Y-SNP haplogroup, maternal mtDNA haplogroup, and autosomal short tandem repeats (STR). Two samples belonged to the maternal D major haplogroup, which is one of the most frequent types in the present North East Asia. One of them, showing male genotype, belonged to the paternal C major haplogroup, which is also one of the most frequent types in the present North East Asia. The remaining one belonged to the paternal R major haplogroup, frequent in the present Europe, and the maternal U haplogroup, frequent in the present Europe and East Mediterranean. The repeated results were consistent in the autosomal STR PCR. The STR data were analyzed with DNA-VIEW program (http://www.dna-view.com), which showed no close kinship among the three ancient humans. Our method was successful in the analyzing kinship among ancient human bones, which has been possible in few restricted laboratories in the World. Authors anticipate that many researchers could do their research in a better way to get the genetic information from ancient human bones.
DNA ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; Environment, Controlled ; Europe ; Far East ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Mongolia ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tooth

Ancient DNA analyses are widely used for evolutionary and phylogenetic study of mankind in anthropology and archeology. However, the DNA extraction from particularly poorly preserved ancient human samples is often unsuccessful in these analyses. In the present study, to improve the success rate of ancient DNA analysis, we introduced a high grade ancient DNA purification method using ion-exchange columns. We compared the success rate of ancient DNA analysis of this new method with that of the two methods that have been used for ancient DNA extraction, GENECLEAN(R) kit (Qbiogene) and Qiaquick column (Qiagen). Twelve ancient bone samples from Korea and Mongolia that are about 500 to 5,000 years old by an archeological estimation were used. As the DNA analysis methods, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods for the amplification of a mitochondrial DNA HV1 segment, a male sex determination marker DNA and M175 marker DNA that is used for the determination of O haplogroup of Y chromosome that is reportedly a common one in modern Korean people. The method developed in this study remarkably increased the success rate of DNA analysis compared with the other two methods. Using the GENECLEAN(R) kit, only two samples were amplifiable for the mitochondrial DNA, no samples for the male sex determination marker and M175 marker DNAs. Using the Qiaquick columns, nine samples were amplifiable for mitochondirial DNA, nine samples for male sex determination marker and six samples for M175 marker. The developed method allowed for the amplification of mitochondrial DNA from all samples, male sex determination marker from eight samples and M175 marker from eight samples. The results demonstrate that ion-exchange columns can be useful for the improved ancient DNA extraction in anthropology and archeology.
Anthropology ; Archaeology ; DNA* ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Mongolia ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Y Chromosome

Determination of male and female is important in anthropology, archeology and forensic science. This study was designed to compare genotype sex of improved amelogenin PCR amplication method with morphological sex of ancient human bones. Sixty human skulls which lived from the Bronze Age to twenties centuries and excavated in Uzbekistan were used in this study. Morphological sex was determined by Uzbekistan scientist, and genotype sex was determined by improved amelogenin PCR amplication developed in this study. Among 20 morphological males, 13 samples (65%) were genotypical male. Among 40 morphological females, 20 samples (50%) were genotypical male. In conclusion, morphological method might be inadequate for sex determination of ancient bones. The improved amelogenin PCR method will be useful in sex determination of ancient bones.
Amelogenin* ; Anthropology ; Archaeology ; Female ; Forensic Sciences ; Genotype* ; Humans ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Skull ; Uzbekistan*

The analysis of ancient human DNA is increasingly used recently in the study of anthropology and human evolution. Although mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosomal DNA has commonly been the target in the field of human DNA study, HLA analysis of ancient human DNA is extremely rare. This study aimed to develop the PCR method of ancient human DNA for analyzing the sequence of HLA. Authors established a new method for HLA-DRB1 analysis by sequence-based typing. Alleles of HLA-DRB1 were analyzed and typed by sequencing with DNA of ancient human skeletons from Korea and Mongolia 3000-500 years ago. The types of HLA-DRB1 were determined by comparing the sequences with those of HLA database (http://www. ebi.ac.uk/Tools/blast2/nucleotide.html). The alleles of HLA-DRB1 of ancient human DNA from Korea and Mongolia were classified by types. The frequencies of HLA-DRB1 types of Mongolia were also presented according to the geography such as West, Central, East, and North. In summary, our method was successful in the analyzing the type of HLA-DRB1 from DNA of ancient human bones. Authors anticipate that many researchers could do their research in a better way to get the genetic information for the kinship analysis between individuals or communities from ancient human bones.
Alleles ; Anthropology ; DNA ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; Geography ; HLA-DRB1 Chains ; Humans ; Korea ; Mongolia ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Skeleton

Many data from ancient human remains became useful by molecular approach for ancient human DNA. In anthropology, genetic sex is essential to understand marriage and burial patterns, differential mortality rates between sexes, and differential patterns by sex of disease, diet, status, and material possessions. This study was designed to determine genotype sex of 52 ancient human bones with well preserved skulls, and to compare with the orphological sex. Parts of femur and other bones were used as ancient bones excavated in Mongolia aged between bronze and Mongol period. Morphological sex was determined by Mongolian scientist, and genotype sex was determined by using biallelic marker RPS4Y for Y haplogroup. Of 52 genetic males, 10 samples were morphologically female. In conclusion, biallelic marker RPS4Y. PCR amplication method will be useful in sex determination of ancient bones.
Anthropology ; Burial ; Diet ; DNA ; Female ; Femur ; Genotype ; Humans* ; Male ; Marriage ; Mongolia ; Mortality ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Skull ; Y Chromosome