Engineered polymerases amplify the potential of ancient DNA.
The generation of genomic data from mammoths and Neanderthals has reinvigorated discussion about whether extinct species could be brought back within the foreseeable future. However, post-mortem DNA decay rapidly reduces the number and quality of surviving DNA fragments, consequently increasing rates of sequencing error and forming a significant obstacle to accurate sequence reconstruction. Recent work has shown that it is possible to engineer a polymerase capable of using even highly damaged fragments as template sequences.
Shapiro
Beth
B
Department of Biology, 326 Mueller Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16801, USA. beth.shapiro@psu.edu
D000818:Animals; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*; D005580:Fossils; D005821:Genetic Techniques; D006801:Humans; D015202:Protein Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods
D004247:DNA; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase