Project description:We use ZooMS to obtain secure species identifications of key specimens of early domesticated fauna from South Africa, dating to ca. 2000 BP. Because it can be difficult to distinguish between fragmentary remains of early domesticates (sheep) and similar-sized local wild bovids (grey duiker, grey rhebok, springbok) based on morphology alone, we explore the use of biomolecular methods to make these distinctions. As well as the traditional method of analysing bone fragments, we show the utility of minimally destructive sampling methods such as PVC eraser and polishing films for successful ZooMS identification. We also show that collagen extracted more than 25 years ago for the purpose of radiocarbon dating can yield successful ZooMS identification. Our study demonstrates the importance of developing appropriate regional frameworks of comparison for future research using ZooMS as a method of biomolecular species identification on archaeological faunal assemblages. We confirm that the specimen from the site of Spoegrivier dated to 2105±65 BP is indeed a sheep. This is the earliest directly dated evidence of domesticated animals in southern Africa.
Project description:21 days old (after germination) vegetative wild emmer wheat plants with different drought stress response were grown in hydroponics and shock-drought stressed for 4 and 8 hours. Affymetrix GeneChip Wheat Genome Array was used for transcription profiling.
Project description:An untargeted liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method was used to analyze the content of peptides with celiac disease (CD) active epitope in the five wheat species common wheat, spelt, durum wheat, emmer and einkorn. In total, 494 peptides with CD active epitope were identified. Relevant differences between the species concerning their CD immunoractive potential based on the distribution of CD-active epitopes and relative quantities of peptides with CD-active epitope were demonstrated.
Project description:The transition from mobility to more sedentism is one of the essential processes at the pre-pottery stage of human societies, which takes place asynchronously in different communities in different regions. Being one of the representatives and long-termly occupied sites in the southern Levant, Jericho had played a role of frontrunner in this progress in the world based on the previous researches on archaeological materials. This study applied multi‑approach of strontium (87Sr/86Sr), oxygen (δ18O) and carbon (δ13C) isotope analyses on the enamel of 52 human teeth from Pre-Pottery-Neolithic layers of Jericho to provide direct evidence for human mobility investigating the degree of consolidation and flexibility of the Jericho society in PPN periods in terms of social organization. In additional, we applied proteomic analysis of sex-specific amelogenin peptides in tooth enamel, an approach with high sensitivity and stability, for sex estimation on the sampled individuals. The results of the isotope ratios revealed no structural mobility at this stage but with occasional cases of non-local individuals who probably migrated from afar. Interestingly, the results of the sex identification of the randomly selected samples (n=44) showed a significant sex bias ratio in the Jericho society during the PPN periods.
Project description:Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a prominent role in signal transduction and cellular homeostasis in plants. However, imbalances between generation and elimination of ROS can give rise to oxidative stress in growing cells. Because ROS are important to cell growth, ROS modulation could be responsive to natural or human-mediated selection pressure in plants. To study the evolution of oxidative stress related genes in a single plant cell, we conducted comparative expression profiling analyses of the elongated seed trichomes (‘‘fibers’’) of cotton (Gossypium), using a phylogenetic approach. We measured expression changes during diploid progenitor species divergence, allopolyploid formation and parallel domestication of diploid and allopolyploid species, using a microarray platform that interrogates 42,429 unigenes. The distribution of differentially expressed genes in progenitor diploid species revealed significant up-regulation of ROS scavenging and potential signaling processes in domesticated G. arboreum. Similarly, in two independently domesticated allopolyploid species (G. barbadense and G. hirsutum) antioxidant genes were substantially up-regulated in comparison to antecedent wild forms. In contrast, analyses of three wild allopolyploid species indicate that genomic merger and ancient allopolyploid formation had no significant influences on regulation of ROS related genes. Remarkably, many of the ROS-related processes diagnosed as possible targets of selection were shared among diploid and allopolyploid cultigens, but involved different sets of antioxidant genes. Our data suggests that parallel human selection for enhanced fiber growth in several geographically widely dispersed species of domesticated cotton resulted in similar and overlapping metabolic transformations of the manner in which cellular redox levels have become modulated. We measured expression changes during diploid progenitor species divergence, allopolyploid formation and parallel domestication of diploid and allopolyploid species, using a microarray platform that interrogates 42,429 unigenes. The distribution of differentially expressed genes was studied for domesticated G. arboreum and two independently domesticated allopolyploid species (G. barbadense and G. hirsutum). These were compared to three wild allopolyploid species. Three biological replicates were performed.
Project description:While the punctuated equilibrium model has been employed in paleontological and archaeological research, it has rarely been applied for technological and social evolution in the Holocene. Using metallurgical technologies from the Wadi Arabah (Jordan/Israel) as a case study, we demonstrate a gradual technological development (13th-10th c. BCE) followed by a human agency-triggered punctuated "leap" (late-10th c. BCE) simultaneously across the entire region (an area of ~2000 km2). Here, we present an unparalleled, diachronic archaeometallurgical dataset focusing on elemental analysis of dozens of well-dated slag samples. Based on the results, we suggest punctuated equilibrium provides an innovative theoretical model for exploring ancient technological changes in relation to larger sociopolitical conditions-in the case at hand the emergence of biblical Edom-, exemplifying its potential for more general cross-cultural applications.