We sequenced ancient RNA from three individuals: two 18th & 19th century hide (skins) of Greenlandic wolves, and from a 14,000-year-old (Pleistocene) wolf puppy frozen in the Siberian permafrost, we sequenced RNA from muscle, liver and cartilage.

Confirming our initial hypothesis, we found that not only does RNA survive for extended periods in such conditions, but it survived well enough for at least two tissue types (historical skin and Pleistocene liver) to retain recognisable patterns of RNA specific to those tissues. In particular we were very excited about the Pleistocene liver tissue, which showed abundance of genes that create digestive and other enzymes.

By extracting ancient DNA, we sequenced complete or partial epigenomes from over 30 individuals (including those we sequenced ancient RNA from previously). We are currently analysing these data to see if:

a) any particular genes show significant epigenomic differences,

b) if any of those differences are related to potential domestication loci, and

c) where we sequenced ancient RNA, does the methylome correspond to our gene expression analyses.

Tentative results suggest that there is a detectable correlation between epigenomic state and transcription activity within tissues, and that some genes with epigenomic differences may be involved in domestication-associated developmental traits.