Million-year-old mammoth bones hold world’s oldest DNA tracing ancient microbial life

Scientists discovered million-year-old microbial DNA in mammoth bones. Analyzing 483 samples, researchers identified six microbes coexisting with these ancient creatures, including relatives of Actinobacillus and Pasteurella. They reconstructed partial genomes of Erysipelothrix from a 1.1-million-year-old steppe mammoth, the oldest host-associated microbial DNA ever found. The findings offer insights into extinct animal microbiomes and suggest some microbes accompanied mammoths throughout their evolution, possibly influencing their health and adaptation until their extinction.