Sex determination of ancient human skeletons using DNA

Anne C. Stone; George R. Milner; Svante Paäbo; Mark Stoneking

doi:10.1002/(SICI)1096-8644(199602)99:2<231::AID-AJPA1>3.0.CO;2-1

Sex determination of ancient human skeletons using DNA

Anne C. Stone, George R. Milner, Svante Paäbo, Mark Stoneking

Anthropology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

138 Scopus citations

Abstract

A method for determining the sex of human skeletons was developed using molecular genetic techniques. The amelogenin gene, found on the X and Y chromosomes, was examined using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a nonradioactive dot blot procedure. DNA was analyzed from 20 modern individuals of known sex and 20 skeletons from an archaeological site in central Illinois dating to A.D. 1300. An independent assessment of the sex of each skeleton was made according to standard osteological methods. The sex of 19 ancient and 20 modern individuals was accurately determined using this molecular genetic technique. Molecular sex determination will be especially useful for juvenile and fragmentary remains when it is difficult, or impossible, to establish an individual's sex fram morphological features.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	231-238
Number of pages	8
Journal	American Journal of Physical Anthropology
Volume	99
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1096-8644(199602)99:2<231::AID-AJPA1>3.0.CO;2-1
State	Published - Feb 1 1996

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Anatomy
Anthropology

Access to Document

10.1002/(SICI)1096-8644(199602)99:2<231::AID-AJPA1>3.0.CO;2-1

Cite this

@article{cf87d370746f4daba1559d85fe1a9d1a,

title = "Sex determination of ancient human skeletons using DNA",

abstract = "A method for determining the sex of human skeletons was developed using molecular genetic techniques. The amelogenin gene, found on the X and Y chromosomes, was examined using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a nonradioactive dot blot procedure. DNA was analyzed from 20 modern individuals of known sex and 20 skeletons from an archaeological site in central Illinois dating to A.D. 1300. An independent assessment of the sex of each skeleton was made according to standard osteological methods. The sex of 19 ancient and 20 modern individuals was accurately determined using this molecular genetic technique. Molecular sex determination will be especially useful for juvenile and fragmentary remains when it is difficult, or impossible, to establish an individual's sex fram morphological features.",

author = "Stone, {Anne C.} and Milner, {George R.} and Svante Pa{\"a}bo and Mark Stoneking",

year = "1996",

month = feb,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1002/(SICI)1096-8644(199602)99:2<231::AID-AJPA1>3.0.CO;2-1",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "99",

pages = "231--238",

journal = "American Journal of Physical Anthropology",

issn = "0002-9483",

publisher = "Wiley-Liss Inc.",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Sex determination of ancient human skeletons using DNA

AU - Stone, Anne C.

AU - Milner, George R.

AU - Paäbo, Svante

AU - Stoneking, Mark

PY - 1996/2/1

Y1 - 1996/2/1

N2 - A method for determining the sex of human skeletons was developed using molecular genetic techniques. The amelogenin gene, found on the X and Y chromosomes, was examined using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a nonradioactive dot blot procedure. DNA was analyzed from 20 modern individuals of known sex and 20 skeletons from an archaeological site in central Illinois dating to A.D. 1300. An independent assessment of the sex of each skeleton was made according to standard osteological methods. The sex of 19 ancient and 20 modern individuals was accurately determined using this molecular genetic technique. Molecular sex determination will be especially useful for juvenile and fragmentary remains when it is difficult, or impossible, to establish an individual's sex fram morphological features.

AB - A method for determining the sex of human skeletons was developed using molecular genetic techniques. The amelogenin gene, found on the X and Y chromosomes, was examined using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a nonradioactive dot blot procedure. DNA was analyzed from 20 modern individuals of known sex and 20 skeletons from an archaeological site in central Illinois dating to A.D. 1300. An independent assessment of the sex of each skeleton was made according to standard osteological methods. The sex of 19 ancient and 20 modern individuals was accurately determined using this molecular genetic technique. Molecular sex determination will be especially useful for juvenile and fragmentary remains when it is difficult, or impossible, to establish an individual's sex fram morphological features.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0030052760&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0030052760&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/(SICI)1096-8644(199602)99:2<231::AID-AJPA1>3.0.CO;2-1

DO - 10.1002/(SICI)1096-8644(199602)99:2<231::AID-AJPA1>3.0.CO;2-1

M3 - Article

C2 - 8967324

AN - SCOPUS:0030052760

SN - 0002-9483

VL - 99

SP - 231

EP - 238

JO - American Journal of Physical Anthropology

JF - American Journal of Physical Anthropology

IS - 2

ER -

Sex determination of ancient human skeletons using DNA

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this