凤翔雍山血池遗址北斗坊7号坑马骨的古DNA研究

Ancient DNA Analysis of Horse Bones from the Horse Sacrificial Pit No.7 in the Beidoufang Location at the Xuechi Site in Fengxiang

陕西凤翔雍山血池遗址是迄今发现规模最大的秦汉皇家祭祀遗址。本文对遗址北斗坊地点7号坑(K7)中26个幼马样本进行了古DNA研究,成功获取了全部样本的线粒体DNA目标区域和X/Y染色体差异区,实现了母系谱系分型和性别鉴定;并检测了19个基因34个位点的基因型,对马匹的毛色、体型等表型特征进行推测,同时探讨了其运动能力、步态和高原适应。反映出其母系来源复杂,雄性略多,以栗色、体型偏小为主,及耐力强等特征。

The Xuechi sacrificial site in Fengxiang county,Shaanxi,is the largest and the most well-preserved royal sacrificial venue dating to the Qin and Han dynasties that has been discovered to date.Here,of 26 ancient juvenile horse samples from the pit 7(K7)of Beidoufang in Xuechi Sacrificial Site,we successfully used two sensitive NGS-based panels to obtain the targeted sequences of mitochondrial DNA and the regions that differ between the X and Y chromosomes responsible for mtDNA typing and sex determination,and typed 34 mutations in 19 genes responsible for inferring the phenotypic traits,such as coat color,racing performance,gaits,body size/height at withers,and adaption to high altitude conditions.Based on these results we conclude that 1)the mtDNA diversity of this sampled assemblage is extremely high,suggesting a complex maternal source;2)the male to female sex bias ratio is 8:5;3)the horses are mainly of chestnut coats(16/26)and small size(23/26);4)the horses have greater endurance rather than racing speed and do not have the ability to perform alternate gaits;and 5)interestingly,three of the horses carry the EPAS1 mutation,implying the adaptation to high altitude.