The human genome: structure, function and principal molecular markers. Paleogenetics and paleogenomics. Ancient DNA in the study of human evolutionary history. Genetic history of human populations. Molecular methods to reconstruct the lifestyle of ancient human populations.
David Caramelli 2009. Antropologia Molecolare - Manuale di base. Firenze University Press
David Caramelli & Martina Lari 2004. Il DNA antico: metodi di analisi e applicazioni. Angelo Pontecorboli
Mark Stoneking. An Introduction to Molecular Anthropology. Wiley-Blackwell 2016
Learning Objectives
Knowledge acquired: Knowledge of the human evolutionary history from a molecular point of view.
Competence acquired: Applying molecular methods to the study of evolution, diffusion and genetic variability of human populations.
Skills acquired (at the end of the course):Molecular methodologies in anthropological and evolutionary research, scientific literatures examination and comprehension.
Prerequisites
Courses to be used as requirements (required and/or recommended)
Courses recommended: anthropology; molecular biology/genetics
Teaching Methods
Total hours of the course (including the time spent in attending lectures, seminars, private study, examinations, etc...): 150
Hours reserved to private study and other individual formative activities: 102
Contact hours for: Lectures (hours): 44
Contact hours for: Laboratory (hours): 4
Further information
Frequency of lectures, practice and lab:
4 hour of lessons per week; Highly recommended.
Students will be provided with slides presented during the lessons and the scientific papers discussed during the course
Teaching tools:
Molecular Anthropology/paleogenetics Lab
Type of Assessment
Oral examination. Open questions with request to substantiate the answers. Comprehension and oral presentation of at least one scientific paper.
Course program
Molecular Anthropology: an overview. Structure of the human genome; variability and principal markers (SNPs, STRs). Molecular evolution.
Human mitochondrial DNA. Structure and inheritance. Use of mitochondrial DNA in molecular anthropology. Molecular clock. Human mitochondrial phylogenetic tree and haplogroups. Paleogenetics and ancient DNA.
Ancient DNA and human evolution. Genetic variability of Neandertals and implications for modern humans origin. From paleogenetics to paleogenomics. Neandertals and Denisovians genomes. Interbreeding between ancient hominids and implications for modern human genome evolution.
Genetic history of Europe. The contribute of modern and ancient DNA. Tracing the first settlement of Europe by anatomically modern humans. Paleolithic-Mesolithic-Neolithic transitions by a genetic perspective. Ancient population genetics.
Study of domestication processes of plant and animals.
Deciphering the lifestyle of ancient human population. Composition of oral microbiome, identification of DNA form pathogenic bacterial, reconstruction of the palaeodiet.