Ancient DNA

Analysis of the beta-globin gene in DNA of suspected thalassemic great apes

J. Vuch, Siori, M. S., Bigatti, M. P., Segat, L., De Fabrizio, G., and Crovella, S., Analysis of the beta-globin gene in DNA of suspected thalassemic great apes, vol. 12, pp. 1731-1739, 2013.

DNA was recovered from teeth of 2 great ape skeletons, Pan troglodytes (Ptr) and Pongo pygmaeus (Ppy), belonging to a 19th-century zoological collection. The skeletons presented morphological alterations possibly associated with β-thalassemia: Ptr had deformation of the calvaria and oro-maxillo-facial bones with porotic hyperostosis and extended osteoporotic lesions of the skeleton, while Ppy showed a general marked widening of the calvarial diploe but moderate osteoporotic signs on the post-cranial skeleton.

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