Digital Lunch Seminar Series: DNA

DNA – The Preserved Memory of Biological Materials

Speakers: Anna Schulz and Stephan Seifert

Chairs: Markus Fischer and Ralf Möller

The DNA of written artefacts contains a lot of information that can help to uncover their rich past and reveal new connections in philological investigations based on, for example, their production material, their state of preservation, and the environmental conditions to which they have been exposed. To make this information accessible, we developed a non-invasive DNA extraction protocol and data analysis workflows that take into account the characteristics of old samples, which are challenging due to the biological degradation of DNA molecules (ancient DNA). After sampling, the obtained DNA is sequenced and the endogenous DNA is compared with references obtained from databases or previous experiments to determine the properties of the written artefact material. In addition, exogenous DNA (e.g. from bacteria) present on the surface of the artefact is also analysed to assess the environmental influences that affected the artefact over time. In order to make the gained knowledge usable and accessible to scientists from different disciplines, the presentation of data and results is an important part of our work.