The use of ancient DNA in paleontological studies

ABSTRACT

In the past several years the analysis of ancient DNA has become widely used in paleontology and archeology. DNA has been reported to have been isolated from a variety of organisms up to a hundred million years old. The analysis of these DNA molecules has been used to draw conclusions about phylogenetic relationships, migration of populations, and the emergence of pathogens. It has become apparent, however, that many experimental artifacts are associated with the study of ancient DNA and in several cases the DNA purported to have been of ancient origin has been shown to be due to contamination. This review will summarize the sources of ancient DNA, the information contained within it, the methods of analysis, and the limitations of these techniques.