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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Andrew Porter, Dr Pawel PalmowskiORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© The Author(s) 2026.This research provides novel insights into the diversity of DNA extracted from samples collected from the Turin Shroud in 1978, revealing its biological complexity through rigorous DNA and metagenomic analyses. Our findings highlight its preservation conditions and environmental interactions, offering valuable perspectives into the identified genetic variants, which originated from multiple biological sources. We identified several human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) lineages, including K1a1b1a, which matches the 1978 official collector’s mitogenome, H2a2 (i.e., the lineage of the mtDNA reference sequence rCRS), H1b, which is common in Western Eurasia, and the rare H33, which is also present in the Near East. Additionally, the reconstructed microbiome of the Shroud reveals a rich tapestry of multiple microbes commonly found on the human epidermis, as well as archaeal communities adapted to high salinity and fungi including molds. These findings are consistent with the preservation conditions experienced by the Shroud over the centuries. The presence of abundant Mediterranean endemic red coral, various cultivated plants (e.g., carrot, wheat, corn, bananas, and peanuts) and domesticated animals (e.g., cattle, pigs, chickens, dogs, and cats) provide a fascinating glimpse into the diverse biological sources of the contaminants that have accumulated on the Turin Shroud over time. Finally, radiocarbon dating of two distinct threads collected from the reliquary is consistent with their use in repair interventions of the Shroud carried out in 1534 and 1694 CE.
Author(s): Barcaccia G, Rambaldi Migliore N, Gabelli G, Agostini V, Palumbo F, Moroni E, Nicolini V, Gao L, Mattutino G, Porter A, Palmowski P, Procopio N, Perego UA, Iorizzo M, Sharbel TF, Baima Bollone P, Torroni A, Squartini A, Achilli A
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Scientific Reports
Year: 2026
Volume: 16
Issue: 1
Online publication date: 09/07/2026
Acceptance date: 30/06/2026
Date deposited: 21/07/2026
ISSN (electronic): 2045-2322
Publisher: Nature Research
URL: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-60684-7
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-60684-7
Data Access Statement: Genomic sequences (raw data in FASTQ format) have been deposited in the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA; https://www.ebi.ac.uk/ena/browser/home) under the accession number PRJEB88938. Any additional information required to reanalyze the data reported in this paper is available from the lead contacts upon request.
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