Paleogenomic analysis of pathogenic bacteria in hunter-gatherers from Central Coast Patagonia, Argentina

BRAVO-LOPEZ M, ROCHA-ARRIAGA C, PAROLIN ML, TAMBURRINI C, VILLAISLAS V, FREGEL R, DAHINTEN S, GÓMEZ-OTERO J, MILLÁN G, ÁVILA-ARCOS M

Chicago

Congreso; 48th Annual North American Meeting- PALEOPATHOLOGY ASSOCIATION; 2021

PALEOPATHOLOGY ASSOCIATION

The Central-Northern Coast of Patagonia has been occupied by hunter-gatherers since at least the middle Holocene based on direct dating of human bones. The biogeographical and environmental conditions throughout this region would have provided abundance and diversification of the subsistence activity, influencing the hunter-gatherers? health status. We screened teeth and bone samples from the Central-Northern Coast of Patagonia (6000-300 BP) individuals in search of ancient pathogens. We extracted aDNA, built sequencing libraries, and generated low-depth shotgun sequencing data. The resulting sequences were classifiedtaxonomically by using complete bacterial, archaeal and viral genomes in the NCBI?s RefSeq database. We identified aDNA Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, which is a zoonotic pathogen that causes erythematous skin lesions known as erysipeloid. In addition, the identification of periodontopathic bacteria such as Rothia dentocariosa, Eikenella corrodens, Streptococcus sanguinis,Streptococcus gordonii, Capnocytophaga gingivalis, Capnocytophaga ochracea, Filifactor alocis, Fusobacterium nucleatum;Capnocytophaga sputigena, Veillonella parvula, Aggregatibacter aphrophilus, Filifactor alocis, Tannerella forsythia; and togetherwith the paleopathological evidence, suggest the presence of periodontal disease in these individuals. The results obtained fromstable isotope (13C and 15N) analyses showed a dietary dependence on terrestrial and marine resources, therefore, this couldhave influenced their oral health status. Additionally, we identified aDNA Clostridium perfringens, a causative agent of gangrene,food poisoning and non-foodborne diarrhea, and Clostridium tetani, which causes tetanus disease. Further genomic analyses willprovide additional insights into how subsistence strategies influenced the hunter-gatherers? health, and how the genomes of thesepathogens have evolved in the past ca. 6000 years.