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Ancient DNA of Metagonimus yokogawai Recovered from Joseon Period Human Remains Newly Discovered at Goryeong County in South Korea

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Abstract

Purpose

Metagonimiasis, commonly seen in East Asian countries, is a parasitic disorder caused by definitive hosts’ ingestion of undercooked freshwater fishes. Recently, genetic analysis has proved 28S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) mtDNA gene to be a successful marker differentiating species of the genus Metagonimus. In the present study, using specimens from the newly discovered Joseon Dynasty human remains of Goryeong, we obtained updated genetic data on genus Metagonimus, which was also prevalent during the Joseon period.

Methods

The ancient DNA (aDNA) was retrieved from the coprolite sample of the seventeenth century, half-mummified individual discovered at Goryeong Country, South Korea. Cloning and sequencing were performed on PCR-amplified amplicons for M. yokogawai 28S rRNA and COI mtDNA gene. The consensus sequences were used for species identification and phylogenetic analysis using NCBI/BLAST and MEGA X software.

Results

Based on the COI mtDNA gene region, the Goryeong sequence was confirmed as belonging to M. yokogawai, as it was shown to form a separate cluster with other M. yokogawai taxa that are distinct also from M. takahashii and M. miyatai.

Conclusion

In a series of our genetic analyses on genus Metagonimus using samples retrieved from Joseon-period cases, aDNA sequences of genus Metagonimus revealed in South Korea thus far are those of M. yokogawai, but not of M. miyatai or M. takahashii yet.

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Funding

This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea by the Ministry of Education (2019S1A5C2A01083578) and Ministry of Science and ICT (2020R1A2C1010708).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Chang Seok Oh and Jong Ha Hong have contributed equally to this study.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mortuary Science, College of Bio-Convergence, Eulji University, 553, Sanseongdae-ro, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13135, South Korea

    Chang Seok Oh

  2. Institute of Korean Archaeology and Ancient History, Kyung Hee University, 26, Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 02447, South Korea

    Jong Ha Hong

  3. Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Korea Association of Health Promotion, Seoul, 07649, South Korea

    Jong Yil Chai

  4. Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103, Daehak-ro, Chongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, South Korea

    Jong Yil Chai

  5. Department of Fashion Design and Marketing, Seoul Women’s University, 621, Hwarang-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01797, South Korea

    Mi Kyung Song

  6. Gaon Research Institute of Cultural Properties, 1311, Daegaya-ro, Daegaya-eup, Goryeong-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, 40141, South Korea

    Ho-Jin Jang

  7. Department of Parasitology, Dankook University College of Medicine, 119, Dandae-ro, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, 31116, South Korea

    Min Seo

  8. Institute of Forensic and Anthropological Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103, Daehak-ro, Chongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, South Korea

    Dong Hoon Shin

Authors
  1. Chang Seok Oh
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  2. Jong Ha Hong
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  3. Jong Yil Chai
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  4. Mi Kyung Song
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Contributions

DHS, MS, and JYC designed this study. MS performed microscopic analysis. OCS and JHH performed experiments. JHJ and MKS conducted archaeological excavation and date estimation. OCS, JHH, MS and DHS did data analysis and wrote the manuscript. The first two authors (OCS and JHH) contributed equally to this study.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Min Seo or Dong Hoon Shin.

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Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that there are no competing interests in this article.

Ethical Approval

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Seoul National University Hospital reported that our analysis could be exempt from the board’s review (IRB No. 2017-001).

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Supplementary Information

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11686_2021_487_MOESM1_ESM.docx

Supplementary file1 Supplementary Data 1. Aligned clone sequences of M. yokogawai 28S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) DNA mtDNA gene amplicons retrieved from Goryeong case (DOCX 31 KB)

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Oh, C.S., Hong, J.H., Chai, J.Y. et al. Ancient DNA of Metagonimus yokogawai Recovered from Joseon Period Human Remains Newly Discovered at Goryeong County in South Korea. Acta Parasit. 67, 539–545 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11686-021-00487-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11686-021-00487-0

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