The October 12, 2011 issue of the Science Daily reported that researchers at McMaster University and the University of Tubingen in Germany have successfully sequenced the entire genome of the Black Death, one of the most devastating epidemics in human history. It is estimated around 75 million people died worldwide during the Black Death epidemic. By sequencing the genome, they can trace the history of this terrible disease and see how it evolved over time.  The article also highlights the novel way these scientists were able to come up with their data.  They used tiny pieces of degraded DNA to find the strain that made this bacterium deadly. Then they successfully tackled the challenge of sequencing the whole genome.

“The genomic data show that this bacterial strain, or variant, is the ancestor of all modern plagues we have today worldwide. Every outbreak across the globe today stems from a descendant of the medieval plague,” he says. “With a better understanding of the evolution of this deadly pathogen, we are entering a new era of research into infectious disease.” Read more…