SigmaXi - 2013

1. HAPLOGROUP
DETERMINATION OF
ANCIENT MAYA DNA
Presenters
Michael Haynes
SUNY Plattsburgh
Edmund Adjapong
SUNY Plattsburgh
Thursday, March 14, 13

2. Research Goals
Research Goals
To compose the largest haplogroup study of ancient Maya
skeletons
The results of this study will contribute knowledge to
biologist, anthropologist, and historians, not only about
ancient Maya populations, but about Amerindians as a whole
Thursday, March 14, 13

3. Introduction
The primary objective of this research was to examine ancient DNA extracted from Maya
skeletons that were previously unearthed from Tipu, Belize
The four primary migration routes of Native Americans (A, B, C, and D) were being studied,
this will contribute to the study of haplogroups of ancient Maya people to date (Figure 1)
There are approximately five hundred and eighty eight skeletons that were unearthed and
collected (Figure 2)
These skeletons are the largest collection of Mayan remains from one burial site and are
currently housed at SUNY Plattsburgh for continued study
Thursday, March 14, 13

4. Figure 1. Map depicting the four
founder haplogroups of the
Americas. The black square
roughly designates Belize, while
migration routes for haplogroup
A, B, C, and D have been marked
with red letters.
Image retrieved and edited from
O’Hare, 2009.
Figure 1. Map depicting the four founder haplogroups of the Americas. The black square
roughly designates Belize, while migration routes for haplogroup A, B, C, and D have
been marked with red letters. Image retrieved and edited from O’Hare, 2009.
Figure 2. Diagram depicting the
location of the Maya remains exhumed
from Tipu.
Created by Cohen.
Figure 2. Diagram depicting the location of the Maya remains exhumed from Tip
Thursday, March 14, 13 Created by Cohen

5. Research Methods
A preserved tooth was taken from the selected skeleton, then ground in the presence of
liquid nitrogen (Figure 3)
A DNA extraction protocol was followed according to the GENECLEAN Kit for Ancient
DNA
The haplogropus are determined with the use of specific primers in accordance with
Gonzalez-Oliver et. al, (2001) and through DNA sequencing
Polymerase Chan Reaction (PCR) samples are prepared as follows: 16 uL of dH2O,
2 uM of forward primer, 2 uM of reverse primer and 100 ng of ancient DNA (aDNA) for
a total of 25 uL
Each sample went through the appropriate cycle forty times (Table 1)
Researchers use gel electrophoresis to determine the number of base pairs in each sample.
Additionally, sample was digested with restriction enzymes to confirm haplogroups
Thursday, March 14, 13

6. Research Methods
Figure 3. Photographs of Maya teeth which provided the ancient mitochondrial DNA.
Photos from Coons, 2010.
Thursday, March 14, 13

7. Results
Researchers have determined haplogroups for 25 Maya skeletons (Figure 3)
Table 4 shows our results compared to published results
Our results:
0% tested for haplogroup A
8% tested for haplogroup B
64% tested for haplogroup C
28% tested for haplogroup D
Figure 3. Tipu Mission with haplogroup results of the tested skeletons.
Thursday, March 14, 13

8. Results
Our findings matched most closely to those of Merriweather (1997) (Table 4)
To date, this study suggests that ancestors of Maya individuals who were buried in the Tipu
burial site, as shown in Figure 2, migrated on routes associated with either C or D
The ultimate goal of this research is to conduct the largest haplogroup analysis of ancient
Maya, and perhaps one of the largest such studies of any ancient/historic group in the New
World
Thursday, March 14, 13

9. References
Ancient Maya from Xcaret, Quintana Roo. American Journal of Physical Anthropology.
116: 230-235.
Anderson et. Al (1981) Sequence and organization of the human mitochondrial genome. Nature
International Journal of Science 457: pp. 457-465.
Coons, Josh. Personal communication: photographs of teeth.
Gonzalez-Oliver, A., et. al. (2001). Founding Amerindian mitochondrial DNA lineages in
Ancient Maya from Xcret, Quintana Roo. American Journal of Physical Anthropology,
116: 230-235.
Merriweather, D.A, Ferrell, R (1995) The Four Founding Lineage Hypothesis for the New
World: A Critical Reevaluation. 241: pp.241-246
Merriweather, D.A., Reed, D., Ferrell, R (1997) Ancient and Contemporary Mitochondrial DNA
Variation in the Maya. Bones of the Maya, pp.208-217.
O’Hare, K. (2009) retrieved from http://blog.zap2it.com/kate_ohare/2009/08/. 4/8/2010
Thursday, March 14, 13

10. Acknowledgments
The researchers would like to thank Dr. Mark Cohen for granting access to the
Maya skeleton collection. The researchers would also like to thank Dr. Nancy
Elwess and Mrs. Sandra Latourelle for their patience and guidance. The
researcher would also like to thank Josh Coons and AJay Daley Kesler for their
time and dedication to this project.
Thursday, March 14, 13