The effectiveness of molecular genetic methods in the study of herbarium and archeobotanical specimens

Molecular genetic analysis demonstrates the feasibility of extracting and comparing DNA from herbarium specimens and 15th-century archaeobotanical remains, paving the way for future ancient DNA studies. Researchers successfully amplified identical chloroplast spacer regions (psbK-psbI and trnL-trnF) in both modern herbarium samples from the VIR collection and ancient grain samples from St. Sergius Trinity Lavra's excavation site. The study overcame challenges in nucleic acid extraction, validating protocols that could be applied to other fossil plant materials. This breakthrough bridges gaps between historical botany and genetic analysis, offering new avenues for studying preserved plant DNA in UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Burakova, A. V., Semilet, T. V., Kamnev, A. M., Lapkasov, M. E., Shipilina, L. Yu., & Chukhina, I. G. (2025). The effectiveness of molecular genetic methods in the study of herbarium and archeobotanical specimens. Vavilovia, 8(3), 39–52. https://doi.org/10.30901/2658-3860-2025-3-o2