Genetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA from ancient Equus caballus bones found at archaeological site of Joseon dynasty period capital area.
Abstract: To understand the domestication and spread of horses in history, genetic information is essential. However, mitogenetic traits of ancient or medieval horses have yet to be comprehensively revealed, especially for East Asia. This study thus set out to reveal the maternal lineage of skeletal horse remains retrieved from a 15th century archaeological site (Gongpyeongdong) at Old Seoul City in South Korea. Methods: We extracted DNA from the femur of Equus caballus (SNU-A001) from Joseon period Gongpyeongdong site. Mitochondrial (mt) DNA (HRS 15128-16116) of E. caballus was amplified by polymerase chain reaction. Cloning and sequencing were conducted for the mtDNA amplicons. The sequencing results were analyzed by NCBI/BLAST and phylogenetic tool of MEGA7 software. Results: By means of mtDNA cytochrome b and D-loop analysis, we found that the 15th century Korean horse belonged to haplogroup Q representing those horses that have historically been raised widely in East Asia. Conclusions: The horse is unique among domesticated animals for the remarkable impact it has on human civilization in terms of transportation and trade. Utilizing the Joseonperiod horse remains, we can obtain clues to reveal the genetic traits of Korean horse that existed before the introduction of Western horses.
Publication Date: 2022-03-01 PubMed ID: 35240033PubMed Central: PMC9262724DOI: 10.5713/ab.21.0500Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research study used genetic analysis to reveal the ancient maternal lineage of horses known as Equus caballus from the 15th century Joseon Period in Korea by examining mitochondrial DNA from bone samples.
Research Purpose and Methods
- The aim of this research was to illuminate the intricate genetic history and lineage of domesticated horses, specifically focusing on East Asian breeds which are not yet thoroughly studied.
- To achieve this, researchers chose a 15th Century archaeological site named Gongpyeongdong located in what was previously the Old Seoul City during the Joseon Dynasty in South Korea.
- DNA was carefully extracted from the femur of the Equus caballus, a horse breed from that time period.
- The team used a mechanism called polymerase chain reaction to amplify the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) extracted from the horse.
- After mtDNA amplification, the DNA was cloned and sequenced, and subsequent results were meticulously studied and evaluated using NCBI/BLAST and the phylogenetic tool on MEGA7 software.
Results and Conclusion
- Analysis of the mtDNA cytochrome b and D-loop led to the discovery that the 15th-century horse from Korea belonged to haplogroup Q. This group represents the types of horses that were commonly bred and raised in East Asia historically.
- This research concluded that horses have had a profound impact on the development of human civilization in terms of transportation and trade, especially in East Asia.
- The study of these ancient horse remains offers valuable insights into the genetic traits of ancient Korean horses that existed before Western horses were introduced into the region.
Cite This Article
APA
Hong JH, Oh CS, Kim S, Kang IU, Shin DH.
(2022).
Genetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA from ancient Equus caballus bones found at archaeological site of Joseon dynasty period capital area.
Anim Biosci, 35(8), 1141-1150.
https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.21.0500 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Institute of Korean Archaeology and Ancient History, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea.
- Department of Mortuary Science, College of Bio-Convergence, Eulji University, Seongnam 13135, Korea.
- Research Institute of Buddhist Cultural Heritage, Seoul 03147, Korea.
- Institute of Korean Archaeology and Ancient History, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea.
- Comparative Anatomy Lab, Institute of Forensic and Anthropological Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea.
Grant Funding
- Ministry of Education
- 2019S1A5C2A01083578 / National Research Foundation of Korea
- 2020R1I1A1A01073501 / National Research Foundation of Korea
Conflict of Interest Statement
. We certify that there is no conflict of interest with any financial organization regarding the material discussed in the manuscript.
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