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Genomics and Applied Biology 2015, Vol. 6, No. 1, 1-10
http://gab.biopublisher.ca
1
Research Article Open Access
Identification Gender of Ancient Human DNAs from Koranza Skeletal
Remains in Turkey Using Molecular Techniques
Evrim TEKELİ
1
, Hasibe Cingilli VURAL
1
, Ahmet Adil TIRPAN
2
1. Selcuk University, Science Faculty, Department of Molecular Biology
2. Selcuk University, Arts and Science Faculty, Department of Archeology
Corresponding author email
Genomics and Applied Biology, 2015, Vol.6, No.1 doi: 10.5376/gab.2015.06.0001
Received: 04 Nov., 2014
Accepted: 26 Nov., 2014
Published: 1 Jan., 2015
© 2015 TEKELİ et al., This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Preferred citation for this article:
TEKELİ et al., 2015, Identification Gender of Ancient Human DNAs from Koranza Skeletal Remains in Turkey Using Molecular Techniques, Genomics and
Applied Biology, Vol.6, No.1, 1-10
(doi
Abstract
The ancient ruins of Koranza and Necropal area are situated in the region of modern city Mugla in Turkey. More than
hundred ancient tombs have been excavated and a lot of grave gifts and skeletal remains were found in this graves. According to this
finds, the date of this graves goes back to the 7th century B.C. Sex identification of ancient human is essential for the exploration of
gender differences in past population. Gender has been traditionally determined through the identification of grave goods and by
bone morphometric analysis. In order to identify gender of ancient human, molecular techniques especially typing for a length
variation in the X-Y homologous amelogenin gene (AMEL X and AMEL Y) for that reason, DNA sequences specific to the X and Y
chromosomes may provide an ideal solution. In this study, we describe here ultra-sensitive sex analysis of forensic and fossil samples
by amplifying X and Y homolog of the amelogenin gene (AMEL X and AMEL Y) for sex determination on molecular levels. As a
result, sex gender of ancient human bones was determined related with DNA fragments with different length of base pair as male and
female.
Keywords
Ancient; Fossil bone; DNA isolation; PCR; aDNA; Forensic samples; Gender identification
Abbreviations:
aDNA (ancient DNA)
Introduction
The use of molecular technology in forensic science is
applied primarily to distinguish between individuals
who may be source of biological materials associated
with archaeological remains. In addition to, the study
of ancient DNA plays an important role in
archeological and palaeontological research but also in
pathology and forensics.
Ancient DNA analyses are
widely used for evolutionary and phylogenetic study
of mankind in anthropology and archeology.
Especially, sex identification of ancient human is
essential for the exploration of gender differences in
past population. Investigation of gender differences
plays an important role in archaeologic reconstriction
of the structure of past societies and particularly
demography of historical socities based on skeletal
remains from cemeteries (Stone A.C., et.al., 1996).
Gender has been traditionally determined through the
identification of grave goods and by bone
morphometric analysis. However, traditional
morphometric analysis fails to identify the gender of
incomplete skeletal remains. A method for
determining the sex of human skeletons was
developed using molecular genetic techniques. The
amelogenin gene, found on the X and Y chromosomes,
was examined using the polymerase chain reaction
(PCR) and a nonradioactive dot blot procedure. DNA
was analyzed from 50 individuals of known sex and
100 bones from the total set obtained from the ancient
ruins of Koranza and Necropal area are situated in the
region of modern city Mugla in Turkey. More than
hundred ancient tombs have been excavated and a lot
of grave gifts and skeletal remains were found in this
graves. According to this finds, the date of this graves
goes back to the 7th century B.C. With burials there
are two types of information which can be compared -
the biological sex of the burials, and the nature of the
grave goods interred with them; these data can be
