Archaeology brings opportunity: Search for anti-Ai genes from ancient DNA

, medieval DNA could help scientists find new ways to treat AIDS -- fighting it with genetic variants, according to a November-December article in the American Journal of ArchaeologyA recent major archaeological discovery in the Netherlands may help scientists overcome the modern medical conundrum of the ancient DNA variant and the current AIDSThe first DNA of an ancient boyin the winter of 2002, Dutch archaeologist Nick Atz and his team, in a tentative excavation near StCatherine's Church in central Eindhoven, the Netherlands, had not thought that a long-ago medieval street had been found beneath modern reinforced concrete and that the body of a child had been foundAtz persuaded forensic experts at the University of Leuven in Belgium to examine the ancient body to see if ancient DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) could be foundOf course, he also knows that the chances of finding DNA are slim, because water dissolves it, and over the past 10 years pumps groundwater from underground parking lots and periodically soaks bones, making it more difficult to find DNABut in 2004, medical experts successfully extracted DNA from a breast tooth in the child's bodyDNA analysis showed that the deceased was a boyIt was the first time in the Netherlands that sufficient DNA had been obtained from the ancientsThe establishment of a database of ancient human DNAGiven the accidental discovery of ancient DNA, the Netherlands has launched a challenging archaeological project: a large-scale excavation at StCatherine's Church cemetery and the establishment of an important database of ancient human DNAAts and a team of archaeologists and anthropologists have unearthed more than 750 bones of Eindhoven residentsOver the next two years, Peter DeKoiff, a geneticist at Leiden University in the Netherlands, will look for dna from the bones"We expect that at least 75 percent of the bones contain dna and proteins," Atz said"For the researchers, the Eindhoven DNA library is a major achievement, paving the way for a large number of new research projects DNA is an important breakthrough in solving the mystery of human disease By studying genetic variation over a long period of time, researchers hope to learn more about disease and find clues to develop a vaccine or new drug Medical research using mutated genes to fight AIDS is where the 600-year-old Eindhoven DNA bank is used, and the Dutch team hopes their plan will help solve the HIV mystery HIV is one of the world's deadliest viruses, linked to genetic mutations The gene CCR5, which the human body carries, is the main channel through which HIV enters cells, but if it mutates into CCR5-delta32, when HIV tries to attack human cells, the immune system directed by the variant prevents them from entering Therefore, as long as the CCR5 gene this mutation, can stop the development of AIDS This discovery brings a dawn to the development of a new anti-AIDS drug Scientists have also found that because of the AIDS epidemic in recent years, carrying the CCR5 variant of the gene CCR5-delta32 is also increasing Currently, people in northern Europe and neighbouring the Netherlands carry the highest proportion of people with this variant, at 14 per cent, but only 1 per cent in the Mediterranean Previous studies have shown that the gene mutation occurred between 3100 and 7,800 years ago The mutated gene CCR5-delta32 should be found in the DNA database of the remains of these Eindhoven citizens On this basis, further research can be done, what causes this mutation? How did it spread to Europe before the AIDS epidemic? What about the resistance mechanism of of diseases such as plague and smallpox in the Middle Ages? Dutch medical expert DeKonif and his team will search the DNA of the bodies of the people of Eindhoven to solve the mystery "There is no doubt that these studies are extremely valuable," said Susan Scott, a historian at the University of Liverpool, who has solved the mystery of modern medicine "Susan has written papers about plague and its link to HIV mutations "While I don't think DNA research on ancient people could immediately lead to the birth of a new vaccine for AIDS, they could help geneticists invent some gene therapies," he said "
this bold project has ushered in a new era in archaeological research for Atz and his colleagues Evelyn Watner, a ph.D student at Leiden University in the Netherlands who is in charge of finding the DNA of the Eindhoven ancients, said: "It makes archaeology more important than ever, and if we can solve the mysteries of modern medicine with archaeological samples, that would be great!" " (Hoopers)