Browsing by Autor "Rodrigo Barquera"

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Exploring the Evolution of the Cariogenic Oral Pathobiont <i>Streptococcus mutans</i> Using Ancient DNA
(2025) Megan Michel; Aida Andrades Valtueña; Murat Akar; Carmen Alonso Fernández; Micaela Álvarez Calmet; Maria Andreadaki-Vlazaki; Gonzalo Aranda Jiménez; Eszter Bánffy; Rodrigo Barquera; María Inés Barreto Romero
ABSTRACT The oral pathobiont Streptococcus mutans can contribute to dental caries development through metabolism of dietary carbohydrates. Adoption of carbohydrate-rich agricultural diets is associated with increased prevalence of dental caries in archaeological populations; however, the evolutionary impact of changing subsistence strategies on cariogenic microbes like S. mutans remains to be explored. Here, we use a novel hybridization capture reagent to generate genome-wide ancient DNA data from a global set of 75 S. mutans strains spanning the last 8,000 years. Most virulence-associated genes predate the origins of agriculture; however, we highlight loci regulating genetic competence, bacteriocin production, and biofilm formation which are absent in 5 strains from pre-agricultural ancient hunter-gatherers, suggesting that their acquisition may have been associated with adaptation to carbohydrate-rich agricultural diets. Together, our study highlights ancient DNA as a promising tool for exploring the dynamic interplay between subsistence strategy, microbes, and dental pathology in human populations through time.
Latin Americans show wide-spread <i>Converso</i> ancestry and the imprint of local Native ancestry on physical appearance
(2018) Juan Camilo Chacón-Duque; Kaustubh Adhikari; Macarena Fuentes‐Guajardo; Javier Mendoza‐Revilla; Victor Acunñ-Alonzo; Rodrigo Barquera; Mirsha Quinto‐Sánchez; Jorge Gómez‐Valdés; Paola Everardo; Hugo Villamil‐Ramírez
Historical records and genetic analyses indicate that Latin Americans trace their ancestry mainly to the admixture of Native Americans, Europeans and Sub-Saharan Africans 1 . Using novel haplotype-based methods here we infer the sub-populations involved in admixture for over 6,500 Latin Americans and evaluate the impact of sub-continental ancestry on the physical appearance of these individuals. We find that pre-Columbian Native genetic structure is mirrored in Latin Americans and that sources of non-Native ancestry, and admixture timings, match documented migratory flows. We also detect South/East Mediterranean ancestry across Latin America, probably stemming from the clandestine colonial migration of Christian converts of non-European origin ( Conversos ). Furthermore, we find that Central Andean ancestry impacts on variation of facial features in Latin Americans, particularly nose morphology, possibly relating to environmental adaptation during the evolution of Native Americans.
Latin Americans show wide-spread Converso ancestry and imprint of local Native ancestry on physical appearance
(Nature Portfolio, 2018) Juan Camilo Chacón-Duque; Kaustubh Adhikari; Macarena Fuentes‐Guajardo; Javier Mendoza‐Revilla; Víctor Acuña-Alonzo; Rodrigo Barquera; Mirsha Quinto‐Sánchez; Jorge Gómez‐Valdés; Paola Everardo; Hugo Villamil‐Ramírez