Fuller Evolutionary Biology Program, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
Mol Ecol Resour. 2019 Sep;19(5):1115-1130. doi: 10.1111/1755-0998.13066. Epub 2019 Aug 19.
Museum specimens play a crucial role in addressing key questions in systematics, evolution, ecology, and conservation. With the advent of high-throughput sequencing technologies, specimens that have long been the foundation of important biological discoveries can inform new perspectives as sources of genomic data. Despite the many possibilities associated with analyzing DNA from historical specimens, several challenges persist. Using avian systems as a model, we review DNA extraction protocols, sequencing technologies, and capture methods that are helping researchers overcome some of these difficulties. We highlight empirical examples in which researchers have used these technologies to address fundamental questions related to avian conservation and evolution. Increasing accessibility to new sequencing technologies will provide researchers with tools to tap into the wealth of information contained within our valuable natural history collections.
博物馆标本在解决系统学、进化、生态学和保护学中的关键问题方面发挥着至关重要的作用。随着高通量测序技术的出现，长期以来一直是重要生物学发现基础的标本可以作为基因组数据的来源，为新的视角提供信息。尽管分析历史标本中的 DNA 有许多可能性，但仍存在一些挑战。我们以鸟类系统为例，回顾了有助于研究人员克服这些困难的 DNA 提取方案、测序技术和捕获方法。我们强调了一些实际例子，研究人员利用这些技术解决了与鸟类保护和进化相关的一些基本问题。新测序技术的可及性不断提高，将为研究人员提供工具，以挖掘我们宝贵的自然历史收藏中所包含的丰富信息。
