MOLECULAR GENETICS IN HISTORY AND ARCHEOLOGY
Instructor:
Jonathan Wright, Biology Dept., LSC 6087. E-mail: jmwright@dal.ca
Phone: 494-6468.
Class schedule:
Organizational meeting in the first week of November, 2010.
A brief second meeting in December to confirm student’s selection of
research topic.
Oral presentations in January, 2011; essays due at the end of January.
While this module is designed to enhance students’ understanding of molecular genetics,
it should be fun, like reading a good detective novel! Each student will investigate one of the
topics below emphasizing the molecular genetics that have been, or could be, applied to an
aspect of study in history or archeology. In this module, students are encouraged to develop their
library research skills, hone their writing and oral presentations, and assist in the evaluation of
other students’ presentations, all essential skills for a professional biologist. For successful
completion of this module, students should have a basic understanding of Mendelian inheritance
of traits and the molecular genetic techniques of the polymerase chain reaction and DNA
sequencing. This module will only be offered if four or more students register for it.
OBJECTIVES AND EVALUATION:
1. To develop library research skills, each student will research and review pertinent literature
on one of the topics below dealing with the application of molecular genetics to the study of
history and/or archeology. At the end of the module, each student will provide a brief
summary of their approach to researching the subject, and the initial and subsequent source
material (website, video stores, and library) for their subject. Grade 5%.
2. To prepare a 40 minute oral presentation on the subject to be presented in class. Grade 45%.
3. Write a “newsy” essay of 5-7 pages on the topic in an appropriate style and format for a
magazine read by a general scientific audience, e.g.,. Scientific American, Equinox or
National Geographic. Grade 45%.
4. Using an evaluation form provided, critically evaluate the presentation skills of your class
colleagues. This grade will be based on your thoughtful and considerate comments to
improve your colleagues’ oral presentation skills. Grade 5%.
TOPICS:
Ancient DNA. What is it? How is it studied? What does it tell us about life today? Examples: (1)
million years old DNA analyzed from an insect in fossilized amber-was this sloppy science? (2)
Nine thousand year old Cheddar man – was he related to the extant occupants of this Cheshire,
UK, village? (3) Four thousand year old Ice Man – who was he?
The DNA of Adam and Eve. Using mitochondrial and Y chromosome DNA polymorphisms,
researchers have traced the origins and migration patterns of Homo sapiens from East Africa to
throughout the world.
The flu virus of 1918 and the coal miners of Longyearbyen, Norway. Will the genomic
sequence of this virus reveal its deadly secrets?
The Lemba, a black Bantu-speaking tribe from Southern Africa. Are they of Jewish
descent? Y chromosome typing suggests they are.
Remains of the Russian Czar and his family identified. Tell the story of their downfall, and
how their remains were identified almost 90 years later by two DNA typing methods.
Neanderthal DNA. Did Neanderthals live at the same time as Homo sapiens?
Would Abraham Lincoln have died of Marphan syndrome if he hadn’t been assassinated?
How would you determine if Lincoln had Marphan syndrome? What would be the source of
biological material for DNA typing?
The madness of George III. Present and contemporary medical evidence suggests that King
George III of Britain had a genetic defect causing porphyria (the vampire’s disease), a condition
leading to his periodic madness. What are the molecular genetic causes of porphyria? How could
it been proved by molecular genetic methods, retrospectively, that George III did indeed have
this genetic defect? Was his madness responsible for the lost of the American Colonies in 1776?
(A video on the madness of George III is available at local video stores, e.g., Video Difference on
Quinpool Street-not much science in this video, but a good tale.)
Why was the famous French painter, Toulouse-Lautrec, so short?
molecular basis for his short stature? Did it affect his art?
Speculate on the
The origin of American aboriginals - Siberia or Polynesia? What DNA typing methods were
used to assess their origins? How was this data analyzed?
Did the “witches” of Salem suffer from Huntington’s? What is the molecular basis of this
genetic defect? Why was it so prevalent in the early population of New England, USA?
Eugenics in history. What was the basis for eugenics in 20th century Europe and elsewhere? Is
there any scientific basis for this theory?
Did the Egyptian Pharaohs practice consanguineous (bother-sister) marriage? What has
DNA–typing of Egyptian “mummies” told us?
The invaders of India and the establishment of the caste system. Did the Indian caste system
arise from an authoritarian invader, or did it arise independently in many different regions of the
sub-continent.
An initial source reference for some of these topics is: Reilly, P.R. 2000. Abraham
Lincoln’s DNA and Other Adventures in Genetics. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, N.Y. ,
or a variety of books on the “Journey of Man”, “The Real Eve”, “Adam’s curse” or the “Seven
Daughters of Eve”. (Copies of these books are available from the module instructor for a short
period of loan.)
*Students may select a topic of their own interest, if appropriate to this module’s syllabus.