Study Identifies Viable Ancient Yeasts in Ötzi the Iceman and Warns of Decomposition Risk

A study published June 3 in the journal Microbiome identified four species of cold-adapted yeast that remain viable in samples taken from Ötzi the Iceman’s body. The researchers also recovered genetic traces of the gut microbes present when Ötzi died approximately 5,000 years ago. The team thawed the remains to 4° Celsius for five hours and collected the resulting runoff.

They took swabs from key body locations, sampled skin and other tissues, and analyzed soil from the discovery glacier, museum air, and humidification water. Four yeast species grew into living colonies; cultures from internal bacteria did not grow. Albert Zink, an anthropologist formerly with the Eurac research center and now at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, said it was surprising to recover the four ancient yeast species given the low temperature.

“We also found ancient DNA from these species, which proves that they persisted in Ötzi and accompanied him over thousands of years while he was preserved in the ice,” Zink said. Ötzi’s remains are stored at –6° Celsius in a specialized facility in Italy. Scientists believe the body thawed and refroze several times, especially during the first 1,500 years after death.

He added that the team’s “analytical findings on ongoing microbial contamination are vital to whatever interventions are needed” for preservation. ” The study notes a potential danger of decomposition if the yeasts are not kept frozen. Previous research has shown that Ötzi was destined to go bald, had tattoos in several places, ate a high-fat meal before death, carried a copper ax from a distant source, and wore leather clothes.