Genomes of 'King Richard III' and His Living Descendant 'Michael Ibsen' to be Sequenced [VIDEO]

A team of international scientists working on the mortal remains of England's King Richard revealed  plans to sequence the king's genome to know more about the monarch.

With an aim to gain more insight into the ancestry and health of the 15 Century monarch, scientists plan on sequencing the genomes of King Richard II and one of his direct surviving descendant. This project is led by Dr Turi King of the Department of Genetics at the University of Leicester, according to a press statement. Richard III, who was painted as evil and brutal after his death, will be one of the few ancient, historical individuals to have their genomes sequenced.

For over 528 years, the burial site of the King who lost his life in the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 was unknown. But in September 2013, archaeologists unveiled an adult male skeleton, which they claimed were the king's remains. They were found in a car park in Leicester. Scientists conducted a battery of tests that included DNA testing, carbon-dating and environmental analysis.

During the tests it came to light that the medieval king had developed a painful condition, Scoliosis, during his teen years. The king, who ruled from 1483-1485, also suffered from severe gastrointestinal infection as the recovered skeleton had several roundworms eggs in the soil close to the pelvis region where the intestines are located. No traces of the eggs were seen in the soil samples surrounding the skeleton.

The latest process that involves mapping of the entire genetic code will take place in collaboration with an expert from the University of Postdam, Professor Michael Hofreiter.

By sequencing the king's genome, scientists can get information about the king's physical appearance as well as his susceptibility to certain diseases. With advanced sequencing technology, scientists can even identify the DNA from organisms like pathogens.

Dr King explains, "It is an extremely rare occurrence that archaeologists are involved in the excavation of a known individual, let alone a king of England. At the same time we are in the midst of a new age of genetic research, with the ability to sequence entire genomes from ancient individuals and with them, those of pathogens that may have caused infectious disease. Sequencing the genome of Richard III is a hugely important project that will help to teach us not only about him, but ferment discussion about how our DNA informs our sense of identity, our past and our future."

Genome sequencing of one of the direct living descendant of the king will also be done. The noble king's direct descendant is Michael Ibsen. The first DNA analysis revealed the genealogical evidence that both Richard III and Ibsen shared the same lineage. By sequencing the genome the researchers can continue to learn about the king's personal and historic life.

Dr Dan O'Connor, Head of Medical Humanities at the Wellcome Trust, says,"......sequencing Richard III's genome will not only give us a unique insight into the past, but have a profound impact on the way we think about disease and heredity in our own genomic age. By making this genome available to all, we will ensure that we can continue to learn about Richard's past - both personal and historic - even once his remains have been interred."

The work is supported by the Research Resources grants programme.