Analysis of bones ancient mtDNA from the medieval archeological site of Amiternum (L’Aquila), Italy

Introduction: The study of ancient DNA allows to analyze genetic relationships between individuals and populations of the past and the present. In this work we analyzed human bones remains datable between the 6th-9th century D.C. from burials of the archaeological site of Amiternum, L’Aquila. Materials and Methods: As a genetic marker, the hypervariable 1 region of mitochondrial DNA (HVR1) has been chosen. The HVR1 marker has been amplified by PCR, the amplicon have been cloned and sequenced. Sequences of the HVR1 region were compared with Anderson's sequence for the identification of polymorphisms. The data obtained were analyzed with different software and phylogenetic methods. For inter-populations comparisons, the known sequences in literature and found in ancient and modern databases have been used. Results and Conclusions: This work provides preliminary information on the correlation between the inhabitants of Amiternum and the Longobards populations of northern Italy and the Byzantines, migrant peoples transited and/or allocated in the territory of Amiternum. The study of the haplogroups, the analysis of genetic variability and the studies of phylogeny on the obtained sequences show a genetic proximity between individuals of Amiternum, the current population of north/central Italy and the Germanic tribe of Longobards, which dominated the Italian peninsula between 568 and 774 A. D. The match of ancient Byzantines sequences with one of the Amiternum samples highlights also a Byzantine genetic trait in the populations of Amiternum and L’Aquila.