A metagenomic survey of the linen cloth samples officially collected from the Turin Shroud in 1978

This research provides original insights into the microbial community and genetic diversity found on the Turin Shroud, revealing a complex biological landscape through rigorous DNA analysis and metagenomic studies. Our findings highlight its preservation conditions and environmental interactions, and offer further insights into the associated ecological and anthropological interrelations. In particular, the microbiome reconstructed for the Shroud reveals a tapestry of connections between human skin microbiota, archaeal communities adapted to high salinity, and fungi including molds, indicative of the preservation conditions of this linen cloth. Several human haplogroups were identified, including K1a1b1a (official collector's mitogenome), H2a2, H33, and H1b. Moreover, the recognition of abundant Mediterranean endemic red coral, along with a variety of cultivated plants (e.g. carrot, wheat, corn, banana, and peanut) and domesticated animals (e.g. cattle, pig, chicken as well as dog and cat) provides a fascinating glimpse into the agricultural landscape of the biodiversity associated with the Turin Shroud.