DNA analysis of dust particles sampled from the Turin Shroud

Gianni Barcaccia,Anna Olivieri,Alessandro Achilli,Antonio Torroni,Giulio Galla

doi:10.1051/matecconf/20153603001

Gianni Barcaccia, Anna Olivieri + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/20153603001

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Abstract

The Turin Shroud is traditionally considered the burial cloth in which the body of Jesus Christ was enveloped after his dead about 2000 years ago. Here we report the main findings from the analysis of genomic DNA extracted from dust particles, which were vacuumed from the backside of Turin Shroud corresponding to internal parts of the body image and the lateral edge used for its radiocarbon dating. Specific plant chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) and human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) target regions were analyzed to identify plant taxonomic entities and human genetic lineages. Plant species native to the Mediterranean countries and widespread in the Middle East (Vavilov’s centers of origin V and IV, respectively) were identified, in addition to others living in temperate and boreal regions of the northern hemisphere or having their primary center of origin and distribution in central and eastern Asia (mainly China, I) or native only to the Americas. Since many of these species were introduced into Europe after the Marco Polo travels and Christopher Columbus voyages, our findings suggest a geographic scenario for which only some of the detected plant cpDNAs are compatible with the supposed origin and trail of the relic, whereas others are likely from a historical interval later than the Medieval period. As for human mtDNAs, our analyses allowed the detection of sequences from multiple subjects, which clustered into a number of western Eurasian haplogroups, including some known to be typical of western Europe (H1 and H3), the Near East (H13 and H33), the Arabian Peninsula (R0a) and the Indian sub-continent (M56 and R8). Such mitogenome diversity could be due to contacts with subjects of different ethnic origins in recent centuries, but it is also compatible with the historic path followed by the Turin Shroud during its supposed 2000-year journey from the Near East. Furthermore it raises the possibility of an Indian manufacture of the linen cloth.

Highlights

According to many scholars, the long journey of the Turin Shroud began in Jerusalem in the year 30 or 33 AD
We document novel and robust genetic data used for taxonomic identification of plant species on the basis of chloroplast DNA barcodes and molecular reconstruction of human mitochondrial DNA haplotypes by exploiting short DNA sequences recovered from pollen grains, cell debris and other minuscule organic specimens, such as plant-derived fibers and blood-like clots found into the dusts sampled in the Turin Shroud by STURP Members
Among the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) amplicons generated and sequenced, different human sequences corresponding to distinct mtDNA loci were identified. This finding indicates that human DNA was unequivocally present in the dust particles sampled from the Turin Shroud, and that the sources of human DNA could be ascribed to numerous individuals

Summary

Introduction

The long journey of the Turin Shroud began in Jerusalem in the year 30 or 33 AD. We document novel and robust genetic data used for taxonomic identification of plant species on the basis of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) barcodes and molecular reconstruction of human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes by exploiting short DNA sequences recovered from pollen grains, cell debris and other minuscule organic specimens, such as plant-derived fibers and blood-like clots found into the dusts sampled in the Turin Shroud by STURP Members.

Results

Conclusion