CHLOROPLAST DNA-SEQUENCES FROM A MIOCENE DIATOMITE DEPOSIT IN ARDECHE(FRANCE)

Reports on the isolation of DNA from very old fossil material have gen erated much discussion concerning the validity of experiments. Here, m ummified plant remains from a new type of deposit, a Miocene diatomite sediment, were investigated for DNA preservation. Fifteen different p artial sequences representing a large phylogenetic range of the chloro plast rbcL gene have been amplified. The extracted DNA is shown to be bound to the silica of diatomite, possibly protecting it from degradat ion. The rbcL partial sequence of a fossil diatom has also been amplif ied from diatomite wing diatom-specific primers, strongly ruling out t he possibility of contamination.