Scientists find unexpected life on Ötzi the Iceman’s 5,300-year-old body
Researchers have identified ancient gut bacteria and cold-adapted yeast species on the 5,300-year-old body of Ötzi the Iceman. These findings provide unique insights into the human microbiome of early populations and potential industrial applications for the discovered yeasts.
Why it matters
Understanding ancient microbial communities helps scientists track human evolution and offers potential for discovering new biological resources.
Researchers used multiple sampling techniques to determine which microorganisms lived inside tzi during his lifetime and which arrived after his death. The later microbes could have colonized the body while it remained frozen in the glacier or during more than 30 years of modern conservation.
Genetic material recovered from internal tissues included bacteria that were part of tzi's original gut flora. The team also made an unexpected discovery: cold-adapted yeast species that likely came from the glacier and have remained on the mummy into the present day. These organisms may eventually prove useful in industrial processes.
The findings were published in the journal Microbiome .
Tracing tzi's Ancient and Modern Microbes
The investigation included a wide range of samples. Researchers studied ice collected from the mummy's surface, meltwater from inside the body, and material gathered with numerous swabs. They also used previously available data from intestinal tissue and stomach contents.
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