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Science 7 November 2008:
Vol. 322. no. 5903, p. 857
DOI: 10.1126/science.1158417
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Technical Comments

Comment on "Whole-Genome Shotgun Sequencing of Mitochondria from Ancient Hair Shafts"

Regis Debruyne,* Carsten Schwarz, Hendrik Poinar

Gilbert et al. (Reports, 28 September 2007, p. 1927) reported that "hair shafts surpass comparably stored bone as an aDNA source [...] in regard to preservation and concentration of mtDNA." When experimental parameters are carefully controlled for, including adequate sampling, quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis, and modeling the decay of DNA, the general importance of this claim is not supported.

McMaster Ancient DNA Centre, Department of Anthropology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton L8S 4L9, ON, Canada.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: debruyne{at}mcmaster.ca

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)