DNA: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 01:48, 16 March 2024

Abstract

The genomic analysis of three mummified remains from Nazca, Peru, sparked interest due to speculations about extraterrestrial origins. DNA sequencing revealed significant contamination and degradation consistent with ancient remains. The study found no evidence of extraterrestrial or genetically engineered origins but identified various microbial DNA and traces of human DNA, raising questions about their origins and genetic history.

Introduction

In the Nazca region of Peru, several tridactyl mummies were discovered between 2016 and 2017, sparking debates about their origins, with some speculating extraterrestrial links. The Universidad Nacional San Luis Gonzaga in Peru took custody of these mummies and invited scientific studies. This research seeks to understand the genomic information within these mummies using bioinformatics.

Methods

Three samples of ancient DNA were analyzed using Next-Generation Sequencing. Data preparation involved quality control and trimming processes to ensure clean datasets. Taxonomic classification was done using Kraken2 against a comprehensive "nt" database. DNA sequences were analyzed through alignment with the human genome and de novo assembly for non-human parts. The study also included mitochondrial DNA analysis to trace lineage.

Results

The results confirmed the presence of ancient, degraded DNA heavily influenced by microbial life. A significant finding was the strong alignment of one sample's mitochondrial DNA with the M20a haplogroup, indicating a link to a Southeast Asian lineage, diverging from the expected indigenous American lineage.

Discussion

The findings reveal a complex genetic picture with no evidence of extraterrestrial DNA. The presence of microbial DNA is consistent with ancient samples, while the unexpected Southeast Asian genetic link in one sample invites further questions about human migration and ancient intercontinental connections.

Conclusion

This research contributes to understanding the genetic makeup of ancient Peruvian mummies. The lack of extraterrestrial DNA reaffirms the terrestrial nature of these remains and opens avenues for further exploration of human history and migration patterns.

Supplemental Materials

References

- Comprehensive list of references and sources used in the study, including specific papers, databases, and bioinformatics tools.

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 [[File:3llaa8b7olsb1.jpg|thumb|right|Initial QC’d DNA Samples]]
+=== Abstract ===
+The genomic analysis of three mummified remains from Nazca, Peru, sparked interest due to speculations about extraterrestrial origins. DNA sequencing revealed significant contamination and degradation consistent with ancient remains. The study found no evidence of extraterrestrial or genetically engineered origins but identified various microbial DNA and traces of human DNA, raising questions about their origins and genetic history.
 === Introduction ===
-In a recent study, seven samples were extracted from mummified remains for genetic analysis. These included three tissue samples and four DNA samples. Out of these, CEN4GEN-Ancient0002, CEN4GEN-Ancient0003, and CEN4GEN-Ancient0004 were found to be viable for advanced analysis.
+In the Nazca region of Peru, several tridactyl mummies were discovered between 2016 and 2017, sparking debates about their origins, with some speculating extraterrestrial links. The Universidad Nacional San Luis Gonzaga in Peru took custody of these mummies and invited scientific studies. This research seeks to understand the genomic information within these mummies using bioinformatics.
-=== Genetic Composition and DNA Fragment Analysis ===
-CEN4GEN-Ancient0002 was notable for its 398 base pair fragment size. While this size is not exceptionally large, it was adequate for species identification purposes. Similarly, Ancient0003 and Ancient0004 contained 515 and 423 base pairs, respectively, indicating the presence of relatively small DNA fragments in these samples.
-=== Comparative DNA Analysis ===
-The research team embarked on a comprehensive comparison of these DNA samples against the human genome. This involved randomly selecting a quarter fragment from each sequence and mapping it using the latest human genome reference, GRCH38 release 93. The results were intriguing:
-* Ancient0002 contained 14.2924% human DNA.
+=== Methods ===
-* Ancient0003 was predominantly human, with 97.6894% human DNA.
+Three samples of ancient DNA were analyzed using Next-Generation Sequencing. Data preparation involved quality control and trimming processes to ensure clean datasets. Taxonomic classification was done using Kraken2 against a comprehensive "nt" database. DNA sequences were analyzed through alignment with the human genome and de novo assembly for non-human parts. The study also included mitochondrial DNA analysis to trace lineage.
-* Ancient0004 had 15.2589% human DNA.
-These percentages represent the proportion of the randomly selected DNA quarter that matched the human genome reference.
+=== Results ===
+The results confirmed the presence of ancient, degraded DNA heavily influenced by microbial life. A significant finding was the strong alignment of one sample's mitochondrial DNA with the M20a haplogroup, indicating a link to a Southeast Asian lineage, diverging from the expected indigenous American lineage.
-As part of the control process, similar analysis was conducted on DNA confirmed to be 100% human. This confirmed the findings regarding Ancient0003, which not only matched human DNA with 95.07% accuracy but also was identified as male due to the presence of both X and Y chromosomes.
+=== Discussion ===
+The findings reveal a complex genetic picture with no evidence of extraterrestrial DNA. The presence of microbial DNA is consistent with ancient samples, while the unexpected Southeast Asian genetic link in one sample invites further questions about human migration and ancient intercontinental connections.
-=== Further DNA Analysis ===
+=== Conclusion ===
-Ancient0002 and Ancient0004 were further compared against a comprehensive database of various organisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and animals. Despite this, a significant portion of their DNA (27% of Ancient0002 and 90% of Ancient0004) did not match any known DNA.
+This research contributes to understanding the genetic makeup of ancient Peruvian mummies. The lack of extraterrestrial DNA reaffirms the terrestrial nature of these remains and opens avenues for further exploration of human history and migration patterns.
-Further refinement using the NCBI nt database revealed that 54% of Ancient0002's and 76% of Ancient0004's DNA remained unclassified. However, this finding does not necessarily support the hypotheses of extraterrestrial origins. The DNA is terrestrial in nature, with unclassified segments likely belonging to as-yet unidentified microbes. These unclassified sequences show similarities to known terrestrial organisms, underscoring the need for more detailed research to fully comprehend these findings.
+=== Supplemental Materials ===
+* [https://verbalcant.github.io/nazca_mummies.html Project Homepage: Nazca Mummies Research]
-=== References ===
+* [https://github.com/VerbalCant/peru_mummy_pipeline GitHub Repository: Peru Mummy Pipeline]
+* [https://usegalaxy.org/u/verbal_cant/h/perumummyphase1 Data Files: Galaxy Project]
 * [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA865375 Ancient0003 (Maria)]
 * [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra?linkname=bioproject_sra_all&from_uid=869134 Ancient0002 (Victoria)]
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 * [https://www.bioinformaticscro.com/blog/dna-evidence-for-alien-nazca-mummies-lacking/ The Bioinformatics CRO]
 * [https://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/17o84r6/mummys_the_word_a_genomic_look_at_peruvian_mummies/?share_id=hKM-AEWJUTijpAhKi731I Bioinformatics Expert Analysis]
+=== References ===
+- Comprehensive list of references and sources used in the study, including specific papers, databases, and bioinformatics tools.
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