German Researchers Release Full Copy of Neanderthal Genome

Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, have released the most in-depth sequence of a Neanderthal genome based on data they released in 2010 - the first draft version of the Neanderthal genome.

Based on data collected from fragments of three bones excavated in 2010 from the Denisova Cave in Southern Siberia, they have successfully generated a high-quality genome from the toe bone of a single Neanderthal individual.

The toe bone was found by professor Anatoly Derevianko and professor Michael Shunkov from the Russian Academy of Sciences in 2010 during their excavations at Denisova Cave.

According to study researcher Kay Prufer, who coordinates the analyses of the genome in Leipzig, the new version of the genome has sequenced every position of the Neanderthal's DNA sequence over 50 times. With this, even small variations between the copies of genes that the Neanderthal individual inherited from his parents were easily notable.

"The genome is of very high quality. It matches the quality of the Denisovan genome, presented last year, and is as good as or even better than the multiple present-day human genomes available to date," said Dr. Kay Prufer.

The Denisovans are a group of ancient humans that are closely related to Neanderthals and modern humans. They lived until at least 40,000 years ago in the same areas as Neanderthals and modern humans, reports Businessinsider.

The team is comparing the genome of the Neanderthal with the genome of the Denisovan. This comparison will help them gain insight into other important aspects of history of both the Neanderthals and Denisovans. The researchers can update their knowledge regarding the genetic modification that cropped up in the genomes of modern humans after being separated with ancestors of the Neanderthals and Denisovans, says Dr. Svante Paabo, a study reseacher.