Palaeogenomics (English version)

Auteur >    Eva-Maria Geigl

Palaeogenetics and Palaeogenomics allow us to gain access to the genetic information of ancient and extinct organisms, and thus to reconstruct the phylogeny and evolution of the genomes of living things of the past, the ancestors of today’s animals, humans and plants. It contributes to shed light on the past biodiversity and provides invaluable information to conversation biology. Moreover, it helps to better understand the processes of the domestication of animals and plants. Finally, it elucidates from a different angle ancient societies. DNA preserved in bones and teeth of extinct organisms, however, is very degraded and present at minute quantities. For this reason, researchers need to use cutting edge technologies of molecular biology and to work in high containment laboratories. Such a laboratory constitutes the center of the “core facility of palaeogenomics and molecular taphonomy” of the Institut Jacques Monod of the National Scientific Research Center CNRS, UMR 7592, located at the campus “Paris Rive Gauche” of the university Paris Diderot. This high containment laboratory is in the heart of the activities of the palaeogenomics group of the Institut Jacques Monod, whose working procedures are shown in the film.