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Pfrengle S, Neukamm J, Guellil M, Keller M, Molak M, Avanzi C, Kushniarevich A, Montes N, Neumann GU, Reiter E, Tukhbatova RI, Berezina NY, Buzhilova AP, Korobov DS, Suppersberger Hamre S, Matos VMJ, Ferreira MT, González-Garrido L, Wasterlain SN, Lopes C, Santos AL, Antunes-Ferreira N, Duarte V, Silva AM, Melo L, Sarkic N, Saag L, Tambets K, Busso P, Cole ST, Avlasovich A, Roberts CA, Sheridan A, Cessford C, Robb J, Krause J, Scheib CL, Inskip SA, Schuenemann VJ. Mycobacterium leprae diversity and population dynamics in medieval Europe from novel ancient genomes. BMC Biol 2021; 19:220. [PMID: 34610848 PMCID: PMC8493730 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01120-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hansen's disease (leprosy), widespread in medieval Europe, is today mainly prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions with around 200,000 new cases reported annually. Despite its long history and appearance in historical records, its origins and past dissemination patterns are still widely unknown. Applying ancient DNA approaches to its major causative agent, Mycobacterium leprae, can significantly improve our understanding of the disease's complex history. Previous studies have identified a high genetic continuity of the pathogen over the last 1500 years and the existence of at least four M. leprae lineages in some parts of Europe since the Early Medieval period. RESULTS Here, we reconstructed 19 ancient M. leprae genomes to further investigate M. leprae's genetic variation in Europe, with a dedicated focus on bacterial genomes from previously unstudied regions (Belarus, Iberia, Russia, Scotland), from multiple sites in a single region (Cambridgeshire, England), and from two Iberian leprosaria. Overall, our data confirm the existence of similar phylogeographic patterns across Europe, including high diversity in leprosaria. Further, we identified a new genotype in Belarus. By doubling the number of complete ancient M. leprae genomes, our results improve our knowledge of the past phylogeography of M. leprae and reveal a particularly high M. leprae diversity in European medieval leprosaria. CONCLUSIONS Our findings allow us to detect similar patterns of strain diversity across Europe with branch 3 as the most common branch and the leprosaria as centers for high diversity. The higher resolution of our phylogeny tree also refined our understanding of the interspecies transfer between red squirrels and humans pointing to a late antique/early medieval transmission. Furthermore, with our new estimates on the past population diversity of M. leprae, we gained first insights into the disease's global history in relation to major historic events such as the Roman expansion or the beginning of the regular transatlantic long distance trade. In summary, our findings highlight how studying ancient M. leprae genomes worldwide improves our understanding of leprosy's global history and can contribute to current models of M. leprae's worldwide dissemination, including interspecies transmissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia Pfrengle
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute for Archaeological Sciences, University of Tübingen, Rümelinstrasse 19-23, 72070, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Judith Neukamm
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute for Archaeological Sciences, University of Tübingen, Rümelinstrasse 19-23, 72070, Tübingen, Germany
- Institute for Bioinformatics and Medical Informatics, University of Tübingen, Sand 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Meriam Guellil
- Estonian Biocentre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Riia 23B, 51010, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Marcel Keller
- Estonian Biocentre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Riia 23B, 51010, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Martyna Molak
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, S. Banacha 2c, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Charlotte Avanzi
- Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA
- Swiss and Tropical Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alena Kushniarevich
- Estonian Biocentre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Riia 23B, 51010, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Núria Montes
- Unitat d'Antropologia Biològica, Departament de Biologia Animal, Biologia Vegetal i Ecologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gunnar U Neumann
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Ella Reiter
- Institute for Archaeological Sciences, University of Tübingen, Rümelinstrasse 19-23, 72070, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Rezeda I Tukhbatova
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745, Jena, Germany
- Laboratory of Structural Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russian Federation, 420008
| | - Nataliya Y Berezina
- Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology, Moscow State University, 125009, Mokhovaya str. 11, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Alexandra P Buzhilova
- Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology, Moscow State University, 125009, Mokhovaya str. 11, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Dmitry S Korobov
- The Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117292, Dm. Uljanova str. 19, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Stian Suppersberger Hamre
- Department of Archaeology, History, Cultural studies and religion, University of Bergen, 5020, Bergen, Norway
| | - Vitor M J Matos
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Maria T Ferreira
- Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Centre for Functional Ecology, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
- Área de Antropología Física, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Gestión Ambiental, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana, 24071, León, Spain
| | - Laura González-Garrido
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
- Área de Antropología Física, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Gestión Ambiental, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana, 24071, León, Spain
- Institute of Biomedicine (IBIOMED), Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana, 24071, León, Spain
| | - Sofia N Wasterlain
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Célia Lopes
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
- Laboratory of Biological Anthropology, Department of Biology; School of Science and Technology, University of Évora, Évora, Portugal
| | - Ana Luisa Santos
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Nathalie Antunes-Ferreira
- Laboratório de Ciências Forenses e Psicológicas Egas Moniz (LCFPEM), Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz (CiiEM), Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz, Egas Moniz CRL, Monte de Caparica, Portugal
- Laboratory of Biological Anthropology and Human Osteology (LABOH), CRIA/FCSH, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Vitória Duarte
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Maria Silva
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
- Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Centre for Functional Ecology, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
- UNIARQ - University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Linda Melo
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Natasa Sarkic
- OSTEO Research, Camino de la Iglesia 1, Barrio de mata, Santiuste De Pedraza, 40171, Segovia, Spain
| | - Lehti Saag
- Estonian Biocentre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Riia 23B, 51010, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kristiina Tambets
- Estonian Biocentre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Riia 23B, 51010, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Philippe Busso
- Global Health Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Stewart T Cole
- Global Health Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Institut Pasteur, 25-28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France
| | - Alexei Avlasovich
- Department of Archeology, History of Belarus and Special Historical Disciplines, Mogilev State A. Kuleshov University, Str Kosmonavtov 1, Mogilev, 212022, Republic of Belarus
| | - Charlotte A Roberts
- Department of Archaeology, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3 LE, UK
| | - Alison Sheridan
- Department of Scottish History and Archaeology, National Museums Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF, UK
| | - Craig Cessford
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3ER, UK
| | - John Robb
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3ER, UK
| | - Johannes Krause
- Institute for Archaeological Sciences, University of Tübingen, Rümelinstrasse 19-23, 72070, Tübingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745, Jena, Germany
- Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Paleoenvironments, University of Tübingen, Rümelinstrasse 19-23, 72070, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christiana L Scheib
- Estonian Biocentre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Riia 23B, 51010, Tartu, Estonia.
- St John's College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1TP, UK.
| | - Sarah A Inskip
- School of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK.
| | - Verena J Schuenemann
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Institute for Archaeological Sciences, University of Tübingen, Rümelinstrasse 19-23, 72070, Tübingen, Germany.
- Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Paleoenvironments, University of Tübingen, Rümelinstrasse 19-23, 72070, Tübingen, Germany.
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Monge Calleja ÁM, Sarkic N, López JH, Antunes WDT, Pereira MFC, Matos APAD, Santos AL. A possible Echinococcus granulosus calcified cyst found in a medieval adult female from the churchyard of Santo Domingo de Silos (Prádena del Rincón, Madrid, Spain). Int J Paleopathol 2017; 16:5-13. [PMID: 28290311 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2017.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Revised: 01/16/2017] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Calcification, or mineralisation, can occur as part of a natural process, or by pathological processes. The purpose of this work is to examine an unidentified semi-spherical and perforate hollow mass, found near the pelvis of an adult female, dated 12th-13th century AD, exhumed of the Church of Santo Domingo de Silos (Prádena del Ricón, Madrid, Spain). The mass was examined by SEM and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy. These procedures revealed a heterogeneous inner surface with both smooth and irregular areas. A larger spherical and several smaller crescent-shaped perforations were noticed. X-ray microanalysis revealed the presence of the elements C, K, P, Ca, Al, Si, Fe, and Mg. The co-localisation of Ca and P suggests that they may be combined in a mineral matrix, likely formed in vivo. Other minerals probably came from the soil, although Fe could be related to the presence of blood. The macroscopic and microscopic appearances, chemical composition, and location of the calcified mass point to a possible hydatid cyst from Echinococcus granulosus, common in agricultural populations. This study used a suite of analytical techniques that are useful in the diagnosis of unknown calcified masses and can, therefore, be recommended for use in future analytical work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Álvaro M Monge Calleja
- Centro de Investigação em Antropologia e Saúde (CIAS), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Natasa Sarkic
- Depart. Biología, Unidad Antropología Física, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesus Herrerín López
- Depart. Biología, Unidad Antropología Física, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain
| | - Wilson D T Antunes
- Laboratório de Defesa Biológica, Unidade Militar Laboratorial de Defesa Biológica e Química, Exército, Portugal
| | | | - António Pedro Alves de Matos
- CiiEM, Egas Moniz Interdisciplinary Research Center, University Campus of Quinta da Granja, Monte de Caparica, Portugal
| | - Ana Luísa Santos
- Centro de Investigação em Antropologia e Saúde (CIAS), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal
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