Perspectives for DNA studies on polar ice cores

Recently amplifiable ancient DNA was obtained from a Greenland ice core. The DNA revealed a diversity of fungi, plants, algae and protists and has thereby expanded the range of detectable organic material in fossil glacier ice. The results suggest that ancient DNA can be obtained from other ice core...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hansen, Anders J., Willerslev, E.
Other Authors: Casassa, Gino, SepĂșlveda, Francisco V., Sinclair, Rolf M.
Format: Book Part
Language:English
Published: Kluwer Academic Publishers 2002
Subjects:
Online Access:https://curis.ku.dk/portal/da/publications/perspectives-for-dna-studies-on-polar-ice-cores(88ff2570-9d0a-11de-bc73-000ea68e967b).html
Description
Summary:Recently amplifiable ancient DNA was obtained from a Greenland ice core. The DNA revealed a diversity of fungi, plants, algae and protists and has thereby expanded the range of detectable organic material in fossil glacier ice. The results suggest that ancient DNA can be obtained from other ice cores as well. Here, we present some future perspectives for DNA studies on polar ice cores in regard to molecular ecology, DNA damage and degradation, anabiosis and antibiotic resistance genes. Finally, we address some of the methodological problems connected to ancient DNA research.