Nuclear DNA sequences from late Pleistocene megafauna

We report the retrieval and characterization of multi- and single-copy nucl ear DNA sequences from Alaskan and Siberian mammoths (Mammuthus primigenius ). In addition, a nuclear copy of a mitochondrial gene was recovered. Furth ermore, a 13,000-year-old ground sloth and a 33,000-year-old cave bear yiel ded multicopy nuclear DNA sequences. Thus, multicopy and single-copy genes can be analyzed from Pleistocene faunal remains. The results also show that under some circumstances, nucleotide sequence differences between alleles found within one individual can be distinguished from DNA sequence variatio n caused by postmortem DNA damage. The nuclear sequences retrieved from the mammoths suggest that mammoths were more similar to Asian elephants than t o African elephants.