I viaggi della Sindone raccontati dal DNA | Gianni Barcaccia | TEDxTreviso

Introduction and Background of the Shroud of Turin

• The analysis of DNA can be highly beneficial not only for scientific discoveries and advancing knowledge but also for resolving conflicts and controversies. (31s)
• A unique scientific article published on October 5, 2015, has been consistently ranked in the top 100 most-read articles worldwide and remains in the 99.9 percentile among articles of similar age. (1m21s)
• The article discusses the Shroud of Turin, a significant Christian relic believed to be the burial cloth of the founder of Christianity, dating back approximately 2000 years. (3m53s)
• The dating of the Shroud is controversial, with historical and scientific evidence suggesting it is several centuries old, possibly dating back to the mid-1300s or even the Byzantine Empire. (4m30s)
• In 1988, a piece of the Shroud was carbon-dated, indicating a medieval origin. (5m30s)

DNA Extraction and Sequencing from the Shroud

• A research project funded by the University of Padua involved extracting and sequencing DNA from fibers sampled from various parts of the Shroud, including the face, hands, pelvis, and feet, as well as a lateral edge used for carbon dating. (5m54s)
• In 1988, official samples were taken from the Shroud of Turin, which, when observed under an optical or electronic microscope, revealed the presence of particles, fibers, fibrils, and corpuscles, including cellular organelles, cotton and linen fibers, animal hair, exoskeletons, pollen grains, algae, and fungal spores (6m52s).
• These particles were used to extract DNA, which was then sequenced to identify plant and animal species, as well as human ethnic groups (7m21s).
• The goal was to research plant and animal species, as well as human ethnic groups, by extracting and sequencing DNA from the chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes (7m42s).
• The DNA was used to reconstruct taxonomic entities, including plant and animal species, and human ethnic units, with a focus on their geographical localization and correlation with historical evidence (8m1s).

Geographical Distribution and Historical Context of the Shroud

• The Shroud of Turin's journey can be divided into two geographical areas: the Middle East before the siege of Constantinople in 1204 and Western Europe after its reappearance in France in 1353 (9m3s).
• These two areas have distinct taxonomies of animal and plant species, as well as human ethnic groups, which can be reconstructed through DNA sequencing (9m32s).

Results of DNA Analysis: Plant and Human DNA

• The results of the DNA analysis showed that the Shroud of Turin is rich in DNA, with a large amount of plant and human DNA, but less animal DNA (10m1s).
• The outermost layer of the shroud, used for radiocarbon dating, was found to be the richest in DNA from plant species, as well as the only animal species detected, and also contained bacterial and fungal DNA (10m35s).
• Human DNA was found throughout the shroud, as well as plant DNA, although in smaller amounts in the inner parts (10m59s).
• The DNA sequences were found to be compatible with two different scenarios: modern DNA, indicating recent contamination, and ancient DNA, indicating contamination from several centuries ago (11m23s).
• The ancient DNA was found to be fragmented and shorter, while the modern DNA was intact and longer (11m46s).
• The analysis identified 19 plant species and 14 human subjects, with the plant species mostly being endemic to the Mediterranean region, although some exotic species were also found (12m3s).
• DNA analysis of the Shroud of Turin revealed the presence of plant species typical of the Mediterranean region, including clover, dandelion, and plantain, as well as exotic species such as wild roses and nightshades, which were likely introduced to Europe after the travels of Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus (12m58s).
• The most abundant plant species found on the shroud was the red beet, a common plant in Central and Northern Europe, and its DNA was found to be genetically similar to modern DNA, suggesting recent contamination (14m37s).
• However, the genetic similarity of the red beet DNA to DNA found in the Swiss Alps, specifically between Chambery and Turin, where the shroud was documented to have been present in the past, suggests a connection between the shroud and this region (15m7s).
• Human DNA analysis revealed a complex scenario, with the majority of DNA belonging to groups from the Middle East, making up 55.6% of the total DNA found on the shroud, and a smaller percentage belonging to groups from Western Europe, despite the shroud having been present in Italy and France for at least 7 centuries (16m38s).
• A significant amount of DNA, approximately 39%, was found to be from groups in the Indian subcontinent, which was an unexpected result (17m11s).
• The geographic distribution of human DNA groups found on the shroud suggests a connection to areas where the shroud was historically present, including the Middle East and India (17m32s).
• The geographic areas where the ethnic groups reconstructed from the DNA of the Shroud of Turin are most frequent are shown on the left, primarily in the Middle East before the siege of Constantinople in 1200, while on the right are the human ethnic groups most frequent in Western Europe where the Shroud has been documented since 1353, with its DNA representing only 5.6% (17m43s).

Explanation of Unexpected Findings and Historical Evidence

• The presence of Indian DNA on the Shroud can be explained by the fact that the linen thread used for the fabric may have originated from India, specifically from the region of Sindh along the Indus River between Pakistan and India, where a frequent ethnic group found on the Shroud is known to exist (18m23s).
• Historical evidence supports the Indian origin of the linen thread used for the Shroud, as the Romans knew the region of Sindh as a source of linen, and rabbinic sources also mention a type of linen called "hindin" (19m20s).

Applications of DNA Sequencing Technology Beyond the Shroud

• The same DNA sequencing technologies used to reconstruct the travels of the Shroud are also used daily in laboratories to ensure the origin and safety of food products through tracing protocols, using a technique called DNA barcoding (20m10s).
• DNA barcoding involves treating DNA sequences as barcodes to reconstruct the genetic identity of any living organism, and is useful for tracing the origin of food products, resolving commercial conflicts, and preventing food piracy (20m36s).
• The analysis of DNA is the basis for a series of protocols that have been introduced in recent years to ensure the traceability of organisms of vegetable and animal origin and their food derivatives, which is particularly useful for contrasting food piracy and commercial fraud (21m0s).
• These techniques serve to resolve controversies, including legal ones, and to guarantee the origin and safety of food products through labeling that depends on DNA sequencing information, ultimately protecting producers and consumers and valorizing Italian food (21m44s).