title: Evolutionary changes in the genome of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the human genome from 9000 years BP until modern times.
abstract: The demonstration of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in ancient skeletons gives researchers an insight into its evolution. Findings of the last two decades sketched the biological relationships between the various species of tubercle bacilli, the time scale involved, their possible origin and dispersal. This paper includes the available evidence and on-going research. In the submerged Eastern Mediterranean Neolithic village of Atlit Yam (9000 BP), a human lineage of M. tuberculosis, defined by the TbD1 deletion in its genome, was demonstrated. An infected infant at the site provides an example of active tuberculosis in a human with a naïve immune system. Over 4000 years later tuberculosis was found in Jericho. Urbanization increases population density encouraging M. tuberculosis/human co-evolution. As susceptible humans die of tuberculosis, survivors develop genetic resistance to disease. Thus in 18th century Hungarian mummies from Vác, 65% were positive for tuberculosis yet a 95-year-old woman had clearly survived a childhood Ghon lesion. Whole genome studies are in progress, to detect changes over the millennia both in bacterial virulence and also host susceptibility/resistance genes that determine the NRAMP protein and Killer Cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptors (KIRs). This paper surveys present evidence and includes initial findings.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Microbiology, Division of Infection & Immunity, University College London, London, UK; Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious & Tropical Diseases and Ancient DNA, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel. Electronic address: spigelman@btinternet.com.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spigelman
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Microbiology, Division of Infection & Immunity, University College London, London, UK; Centre for the History of Medicine, Division of Biosciences, University College London, London, UK. Electronic address: h.donoghue@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Helen D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Donoghue
authors.affiliation: Al-Quds Nutrition and Health Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University, Abu-Deis, P.O. Box 201760, West Bank, Palestine. Electronic address: zabdeen13@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ziad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Abdeen
authors.affiliation: Al-Quds Nutrition and Health Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University, Abu-Deis, P.O. Box 201760, West Bank, Palestine. Electronic address: sereqat@med.alquds.edu.
authors.forename: Suheir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ereqat
authors.affiliation: Al-Quds Nutrition and Health Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University, Abu-Deis, P.O. Box 201760, West Bank, Palestine. Electronic address: isarie63@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Issa
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sarie
authors.affiliation: Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious & Tropical Diseases and Ancient DNA, Hadassah Medical School, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel. Electronic address: charlesg@ekmd.huji.ac.il.
authors.forename: Charles L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Greenblatt
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary. Electronic address: papildi@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ildikó
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pap
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Ildikó
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Szikossy
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. Electronic address: anatom2@post.tau.ac.il.
authors.forename: Israel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hershkovitz
authors.affiliation: Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel. Electronic address: gila.kahila@mail.huji.ac.il.
authors.forename: Gila Kahila
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Bar-Gal
authors.affiliation: Paleo-DNA Laboratory, Departments of Anthropology and Biology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: cmatheso@lakehead.ca.
authors.forename: Carney
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Matheson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002417:Cattle; D060467:Disease Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000266:history; D016680:Genome, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D015894:Genome, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D009106:Mummies; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics*; D010164:Paleopathology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000266:history; D000099173:Natural Resistance-associated Macrophage Protein 1
chemical_list: D027682:Cation Transport Proteins; D000099173:Natural Resistance-associated Macrophage Protein 1
keywords: Ancient DNA; Evolution; KIR historical specimens; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; SLC11A1 gene; Solute Carrier family genes