Sequencing Mitochondrial DNA of Middle Elamite Skeletal Remains from HAFT TEPE

Archaeogenetics, a nascent and emerging science, is based on a combination of biology and genetics which has a high potential in discovering the untold facts about livelihood and culture of ancient times, such as modern human origins and diets evolutionary trend. This area of biology, also focus on migration and geographical distribution of humans and genetic variation in ancient DNA samples around the world in comparison to modern humans. Highly polymorphic DNA regions like STR found on the male-specific Y chromosome in nucleus and mitochondrial (mt) DNA are used in archaeogenetics to study genetic variation within a target population. mtDNA D-loop region is very polymorphic that consists of two hyper variable regions including HVI and HVII with a large variety in different human populations. Analysis on these regions of mtDNA using ancient excavated human bones will lead to determine the genetic composition of human mtDNA known as haplogroups. mtDNA can be used to identify the ancient ethnic groups, trace descendants of ancestors and their migration trails.This is achieved by comparing mtDNA haplogroups between different ethnic groups all over the world.In this study, we have performed analysis using ancient DNA extracted from 5 excavated human bones. Ancient human bones were obtained from Haft-Tepe. We performed PCR amplifications for HVI and HVII regions of the mtDNA followed by sequencing with ABI. Then comparisons The Cambridge Reference Sequence and the sequences obtained in the current study were done at NCBI site. Hoplogroup residents were R2 and R5. By tracking haplogroups from indo-Iranian , we can conclude that these haplogroups dated to 5000 B.P in Iran, and possibly originated in southwestern Iran and from the Elamite civilization.