ACADIAN-CAJUN-L Archives

Archiver > ACADIAN-CAJUN > 2000-03 > 0952115785


From: <>
Subject: Re: Genealogy/DNA Links
Date: Fri, 3 Mar 2000 15:36:25 EST


I saved an article that I read on DNA and thought you all might find it
interesting. Remembering this when I read Ken Breaux's post concerning the
Metis percentages, I dug it out. Here are a few excerpts from the article.

DNA links Stone Age skeleton to a modern man.

After 9,000 years, a living relative is located by random genetic sampling

By William D. Montalbano
Los Angeles Times

LONDON- After he was killed by a blow to the face about 9,000 years ago, a 23
year old hunter was laid to rest in a limestone cave in what is now southwest
England.
Now, say scientists astonishingly bridging 90 centuries and 300 hundred
generations, they have found a modern-day relative of the Stone Age man.
He lives half a mile from the burial site and teaches History.
Oxford University scientists announced that Adrian Targett, a 42 year old
history teacher, in the town of Cheddar, is related to "Cheddar Man",
Britains oldest complete skeleton.
The atmosphere in the cave in the cheese-famous Somerset region of Britain
helped preserve the skeleton, which was discovered by workers digging a drain
in 1903.
The skeleton, now on display in the Natural History Museum in London, drew
the attention of TV producers preparing a documntary film on archeology in
Somerset.
They wondered if it was possible to extract Cheddar Man's DNA?
Scientist from Oxford and the museum found that mitochondrial DNA could be
extracted from a tooth cavity in the skeleton. This type of DNA is found in
part's of of the cell's used in generating energy, is inherited unchanged
down the maternal line. It is easier to recover from ancient bones than
nuclear DNA, which carries genes from both mothers and fathers, scientists
say.
Scientists and a camera crew appeared at Kings of Wessex school in Cheddar,
where Targett works.
"They wanted DNA samples from some of the students whose families had lived
there the longest in the area. The teacher gave a (cheek swab) sample, just
to encourage the students. In all about 20 samples were taken.
When the results were in at Oxford, the DNA had conclusivley shown Targett to
be a relative of Cheddar's cave man. Targett's family has lived in the area
since at least the mid 19th century.
"It is not a perfect match", said scientist . One base pair- that is, one
letter of the genetic alphabet is different out of 300. But in 9,000 years,
we would expect one to change by the normal rates of mutation. So it's pretty
close to match".
"It's a bit frightening to think that there are all those links across all
those generations." Targett said. "But the nice thing is that there are links
that are so strong".
Cheddar Man might have more secrets to disclose. Scientists say it might be
possible to determine the color of his eyes and hair and what diseases he had.
In the meantime Adrian Targett will carry an amazing bit of history to class
with him.
Debbie Lefebvre posted to the list that a metis person is 1/8 metis blood. I
think that who ever makes these destinctions (the powers that be in the
indian nations and government) needs to really research the DNA scientific
data that is out there and talk with the experts. I believe that we have,
with the discovery of DNA, a completely new set of rules by which to judge
our genealogical make-up (our blood). Its not as watered down as we all
think. It is pure Ancestrial Dom and my cup runneth over!!!!!!!
Sincerely,
Linda Louviere d'Amours

This thread: