Present‐Day DNA Contamination in Ancient DNA Datasets
Stéphane Peyrégne, Kay Prüfer
Abstract
Present-day contamination can lead to false conclusions in ancient DNA studies. A number of methods are available to estimate contamination, which use a variety of signals and are appropriate for different types of data. Here an overview of currently available methods highlighting their strengths and weaknesses is provided, and a classification based on the signals used to estimate contamination is proposed. This overview aims at enabling researchers to choose the most appropriate methods for their dataset. Based on this classification, potential avenues for the further development of methods are discussed.
Topics & Concepts
ContaminationComputer scienceVariety (cybernetics)Ancient DNAData scienceEnvironmental scienceBiologyArtificial intelligenceEcologyEnvironmental healthMedicinePopulationForensic and Genetic ResearchArchaeology and ancient environmental studiesYersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research