PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Logan Kistler AU - Roselyn Ware AU - Oliver Smith AU - Matthew Collins AU - Robin G. Allaby TI - A new model for ancient DNA decay based on paleogenomic meta-analysis AID - 10.1101/109140 DP - 2017 Jan 01 TA - bioRxiv PG - 109140 4099 - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/02/16/109140.short 4100 - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/02/16/109140.full AB - The persistence of DNA over archaeological and paleontological timescales in diverse environments has led to revolutionary body of paleogenomic research, yet the dynamics of DNA degradation are still poorly understood. We analyzed 185 paleogenomic datasets and compared DNA survival with environmental variables and sample ages. We find cytosine deamination follows a conventional thermal age model, but we find no correlation between DNA fragmentation and sample age over the timespans analyzed, even when controlling for environmental variables. We propose a model for ancient DNA decay wherein fragmentation rapidly reaches a threshold, then subsequently slows. The observed loss of DNA over time is likely due to a bulk diffusion process, highlighting the importance of tissues and environments creating effectively closed systems for DNA preservation.