[The use of the polymerase chain reaction in analyzing ancient DNAs (exemplified by that of the Enmynveem mammoth)].

DNA was isolated from the Enmynveem mammoth muscles, and the control region and cytochrome b gene of the mitochondrial genome were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The mammoth DNA was amplified by both the classical PCR (two primer system) and the single-primer PCR (spPCR) resulting in DNA fragments up to 1600 bp long. Restriction analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene was carried out. Cytochromes b genes in three Elephantidae genera were compared.