Theory

In the first section of this book we will introduce the basic concepts of a range of topics related to ancient DNA, from how Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) sequencing works, to the fundamental biochemistry of ancient DNA, to the phylogenomic analysis of reconstructed genomes.

The content of this section of the book were originally delivered as lectures, and each chapter will have a recording of the lectures and the accompanying slides.

Lectures

Introduction to NGS Sequencing

In this chapter, we will introduce how we are able to convert DNA molecules to human readable sequences of A, C, T, and Gs, which we can subsequently can computationally analyse.

The field of Ancient DNA was revolutionised by the development of ‘Next Generation Sequencing’ (NGS), which relies on sequencing of millions of short fragments of DNA in parallel. The global leading DNA sequencing company is Illumina, and the technology used by Illumina is also most popular by palaeogeneticists. Therefore we will go through the various technologies behind Illumina next-generation sequencing machines.

We will also look at some important differences in the way different models of Illumina sequences work, and how this can influence ancient DNA research. Finally we will cover the structure of ‘FASTQ’ files, the most popular file format for representing the DNA sequence output of NGS sequencing machines.

Introduction to Ancient DNA

This chapter introduces you to ancient DNA and the enormous technological changes that have taken place since the field’s origins in 1984. Starting with the quagga and proceeding to microbes, we discuss where ancient microbial DNA can be found in the archaeological record and examine how ancient DNA is defined by its condition, not by a fixed age.

We next cover genome basics and take an in-depth look at the way DNA degrades over time. We detail the fundamentals of DNA damage, including the specific chemical processes that lead to DNA fragmentation and C->T miscoding lesions. We then demystify the DNA damage “smiley plot” and explain the how the plot’s symmetry or asymmetry is related to the specific enzymes used to repair DNA during library construction. We discuss how DNA damage is and is not clock-like, how to interpret and troubleshoot DNA damage plots, and how DNA damage patters can be used to authenticate ancient samples, specific taxa, and even sequences. We cover laboratory strategies for removing or reducing damage for greater accuracy for genotype calling, and we discuss the pros and cons of single-stranded library protocols. We then take a closer look at proofreading and non-proofreading polymerases and note key steps in NGS library preparation during which enzyme selection is critical in ancient DNA studies.

Finally, we examine the big picture of why DNA damage matters in ancient microbial studies, and its effects on taxonomic identification of sequences, accurate genome mapping, and metagenomic assembly.

Introduction to Metagenomics

This chapter introduces you to the basics of metagenomics, with an emphasis on tools and approaches that are used to study ancient metagenomes. We begin by covering the basic terminology used in metagenomics and microbiome research and discuss how the field has changed over time. We examine the species concept for microbes and challenges that arise in classifying microbial species with respect to taxonomy and phylogeny. We then proceed to taxonomic profiling and discuss the pros and cons of different taxonomic profilers.

Afterwards, we explain how to estimate preservation in ancient metagenomic samples and how to clean up your datasets and remove contaminants. Finally, we discuss strategies for exploring and comparing the ecological diversity in your samples, including different strategies for data normalization, distance calculation, and ordination.

Introduction to Microbial Genomics

The field of microbial genomics aims at the reconstruction and comparative analyses of genomes for gaining insights into the genetic foundation and evolution of various functional aspects such as virulence mechanisms in pathogens.

Including data from ancient samples into this comparative assessment allows for studying these evolutionary changes through time. This, for example, provides insights into the emergence of human pathogens and their development in conjunction with human cultural transitions.

In this chapter we will look examples for how to utilise data from ancient genomes in comparative studies of human pathogens and today’s practical sessions will highlight methodologies for the reconstruction of microbial genomes.

Introduction to eDNA

This chapter introduces the field of environmental DNA (eDNA), with a particular focus on ancient environmental DNA preserved in sediments (sedimentary ancient DNA or sedaDNA). We begin by defining what is environmental DNA and discussing its inherent complexity, especially when working with ancient eDNA.

Next, we untangle this complexity by exploring the different components found in sedimentary DNA records. We then examine the processes that influence how these records are formed and preserved (i.e., taphonomic processes), emphasising their importance for the reliability of sedimentary DNA data. We also address some limitations of this method and offer key considerations for overcoming them.

Finally, we highlight the potential of sedaDNA as a tool for reconstructing past environments and tracking ecological changes over time, using studies to illustrate the type of insights that can be gained.