Of mice and men
27 Oct 2008 by Evoluted New Media
If you want to know the history of human movement across the planet - have a look at mice DNA. This is the thinking of researchers from the Universities of Aberdeen and York.
If you want to know the history of human movement across the planet - have a look at mice DNA. This is the thinking of researchers from the Universities of Aberdeen and York.
House mice have been transported in ships for centuries so their colonising history should reflect human movement and trading links.
Researchers from the Universities of Aberdeen and York have mapped the genetic characteristics of mice against geographic location revealing the colonisation patterns of humans. DNA sequencing of 328 mice from 105 locations has revealed that mice from the northern and western parts of the British Isles arrived with the Norwegian Vikings whereas mice in most of the mainland have similar DNA sequences as German mice reflecting the movements during Iron Age.
This research has opened up new possibilities in tracking human migratory history. The next step is to track Viking movements through the mice with even more precision. The hope is that by comparing house mice DNA the human colonisation of different parts of the Faroes, Iceland and North America will be revealed.
By Leila Sattary
