Ancient Dna: Methods And Protocols May 2026

The exterior of the bone or tooth is usually mechanically removed (sanding) or treated with bleach and UV light to remove surface contaminants. 3. Extraction Methods

Samples are ground into a fine powder and soaked in EDTA, which chelates calcium and dissolves the bone matrix. Ancient DNA: Methods and Protocols

A distribution of very short fragment lengths suggests the DNA is genuinely old rather than modern contamination. Conclusion The exterior of the bone or tooth is