Neandertal and Denisovan DNA from Pleistocene sediments

Although a rich record of Pleistocene human-associated archaeological assemblages exists, the scarcity of hominin fossils often impedes the understanding of which hominins occupied a site. Using targeted enrichment of mitochondrial DNA we show that cave sediments represent a rich source of ancient mammalian DNA that often includes traces of hominin DNA, even at sites and in layers where no hominin remains have been discovered. By automation-assisted screening of numerous sediment samples we detect Neandertal DNA in eight archaeological layers from four caves in Eurasia. In Denisova Cave we retrieved Denisovan DNA in a Middle Pleistocene layer near the bottom of the stratigraphy. Our work opens the possibility to detect the presence of hominin groups at sites and in areas where no skeletal remains are found.尽管目前已留存有大量与更新世（Pleistocene）人类相关的考古组合记录，但古人类（hominin）化石的稀缺性往往掣肘学界对某一遗址中曾居留过何种古人类的认知。通过线粒体DNA靶向富集技术，我们证实洞穴沉积物是古代哺乳动物DNA的丰富来源，其中常带有古人类DNA的痕迹，即便在未发现古人类遗骸的遗址与地层中亦如此。借助自动化辅助筛选海量沉积物样本，我们在欧亚大陆4处洞穴的8个考古地层中检测到了尼安德特人（Neandertal）DNA。在丹尼索瓦洞（Denisova Cave）中，我们于地层底部附近的中更新世（Middle Pleistocene）地层内获取到了丹尼索瓦人（Denisovan）DNA。本研究为在未发现骨骼遗骸的遗址与区域中检测古人类群体的存在开辟了新的可行路径。