Ancient European dog genomes reveal continuity since the Early Neolithic

• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms16082
• Publication Date: 2017-07-18T16:33:29Z
• Authors: Laura R. Botigué; Shiya Song; Amelie Scheu; Shyamalika Gopalan; Amanda L. Pendleton; Matthew Oetjens; Angela M. Taravella; Timo Seregély; Andrea Zeeb-Lanz; Rose-Marie Arbogast; Dean Bobo; Kevin Daly; Martina Unterländer; Joachim Burger; Jeffrey M. Kidd; Krishna R. Veeramah
• Keywords: Ancient DNA

Abstract Europe has played a major role in dog evolution, harbouring the oldest uncontested Palaeolithic remains and having been centre of modern breed creation. Here we sequence genomes an Early End Neolithic from Germany, including sample associated with early European farming community. Both dogs demonstrate continuity each other predominantly share ancestry dogs, contradicting previously suggested Late population replacement. We find no genetic evidence to support recent hypothesis proposing dual origins domestication. By calibrating mutation rate using our dog, narrow timing domestication 20,000–40,000 years ago. Interestingly, do not observe extreme copy number expansion AMY2B gene characteristic that proposed as adaptation starch-rich diet driven by widespread adoption agriculture Neolithic.