title: Genetic analysis of the skeletal remains attributed to Francesco Petrarca.
abstract: We report on the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis of the supposed remains of Francesco Petrarca exhumed in November 2003, from the S. Maria Assunta church, in Arquà Padua (Italy) where he died in 1374. The optimal preservation of the remains allowed the retrieval of sufficient mtDNA for genetic analysis. DNA was extracted from a rib and a tooth and mtDNA sequences were determined in multiple clones using the strictest criteria currently available for validation of ancient DNA sequences, including independent replication. MtDNA sequences from the tooth and rib were not identical, suggesting that they belonged to different individuals. Indeed, molecular gender determination showed that the postcranial remains belonged to a male while the skull belonged to a female. Historical records indicated that the remains were violated in 1630, possibly by thieves. These results are consistent with morphological investigations and confirm the importance of integrating molecular and morphological approaches in investigating historical remains.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e Genetica, Laboratorio di Antropologia, Università di Firenze, via del Proconsolo 12, 50122 Firenze, Italy. david.caramelli@unifi.it
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Caramelli
authors.forename: Carles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lalueza-Fox
authors.forename: Cristian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Capelli
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lari
authors.forename: María Lourdes
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Sampietro
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gigli
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Milani
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pilli
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guimaraes
authors.forename: Brunetto
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chiarelli
authors.forename: Vito Terribile Wien
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Marin
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Casoli
authors.forename: Roscoe
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stanyon
authors.forename: Jaume
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bertranpetit
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barbujani
mesh_terms: D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000032:analysis*; D049249:Exhumation; D005197:Famous Persons; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008963:Molar; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012272:Ribs; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012732:Sex Determination Analysis
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial