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Home / Equine Research Bank / Genes (Basel) / Sequencing and Analysis of mtDNA Genomes from the Teeth of E...
Genes2026; 17(1); 95; doi: 10.3390/genes17010095

Sequencing and Analysis of mtDNA Genomes from the Teeth of Early Medieval Horses in Poland.

Abstract: This study presents the sequencing and analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genomes from nine early medieval horse remains excavated across archaeological sites in Silesia region in present day Poland. Methods: Using aDNA extraction protocols optimized for short fragments, combined with target enrichment and high-throughput sequencing, we reconstructed partial mtDNA sequences for seven of the specimens. Results: The authenticity of the aDNA was confirmed through damage pattern analysis. Phylogenetic reconstruction revealed that the specimens belonged to six distinct mtDNA lineages (B, D, E, G, L, and M), indicating a high level of mitochondrial diversity within medieval Silesian horse population. Conclusions: These findings highlight the extensive mtDNA variability among domestic horses, reflecting the diversity of their ancestral populations rather than modern breed differentiation. This research enhances our understanding of horse population structure in medieval Europe, emphasizing the genetic complexity present during this period.
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Publication Date: 2026-01-18 PubMed ID: 41595516PubMed Central: PMC12841091DOI: 10.3390/genes17010095Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

Research Overview

  • This study sequenced mitochondrial DNA from medieval horse teeth excavated in Poland and found high genetic diversity, providing insights into the population structure of horses in early medieval Europe.

Introduction and Objectives

  • The study focused on analyzing mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) extracted from horse remains discovered at archaeological sites in the Silesia region of present-day Poland.
  • The primary aim was to reconstruct mtDNA genomes to understand the genetic diversity and population structure of horses during the early medieval period.

Materials and Methods

  • Samples were taken from nine horse teeth remains excavated across multiple early medieval archaeological sites.
  • Ancient DNA (aDNA) extraction protocols optimized for short DNA fragments were employed to ensure maximal recovery of degraded genetic material.
  • Target enrichment techniques were applied to selectively capture mtDNA sequences before sequencing.
  • High-throughput sequencing technologies were used to generate partial mitochondrial genome sequences from the samples.
  • Damage pattern analysis was conducted to authenticate the ancient origin of the DNA sequences, ensuring the results were not contaminated by modern DNA.

Results

  • Partial mtDNA sequences were successfully reconstructed for seven out of the nine specimens.
  • Phylogenetic analysis identified six distinct mtDNA lineages among the specimens: B, D, E, G, L, and M.
  • The presence of these six lineages indicated a high degree of mitochondrial genetic diversity within the early medieval Silesian horse population.

Discussion and Conclusions

  • The high mtDNA variability suggests that medieval domestic horses in this region descended from a wide variety of ancestral populations rather than being limited to narrow breed lines.
  • This diversity predates the modern classification and differentiation of horse breeds, highlighting a complex population structure during medieval times.
  • The study contributes to a better understanding of the genetic makeup and historical population dynamics of horses in medieval Europe.
  • These findings emphasize the importance of ancient DNA studies in revealing genetic complexity not evident from modern horse populations alone.

Cite This Article

APA
Pasicka E, Baca M, Popović D, Makowiecki D, Janeczek M. (2026). Sequencing and Analysis of mtDNA Genomes from the Teeth of Early Medieval Horses in Poland. Genes (Basel), 17(1), 95. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes17010095

Publication

Genes
ISSN: 2073-4425
NlmUniqueID: 101551097
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 17
Issue: 1
PII: 95

Researcher Affiliations

Pasicka, Edyta
  • Department of Biostructure and Animal Physiology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Kożuchowska 1, 51-631 Wrocław, Poland.
Baca, Mateusz
  • Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, S. Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland.
Popović, Danijela
  • Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, S. Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland.
Makowiecki, Daniel
  • Institute of Archaeology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Szosa Bydgoska 44/48, 87-100 Toruń, Poland.
Janeczek, Maciej
  • Department of Biostructure and Animal Physiology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Kożuchowska 1, 51-631 Wrocław, Poland.

MeSH Terms

  • Horses / genetics
  • Animals
  • Poland
  • DNA, Mitochondrial / genetics
  • Genome, Mitochondrial / genetics
  • Phylogeny
  • Tooth / chemistry
  • DNA, Ancient / analysis
  • History, Medieval
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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