Ötzi and his microbiome: roommates from 5,300 years ago

A new study by Eurac Research provides a comprehensive picture of Ötzi’s microbiome – the community of microorganisms living in and on a body – revealing that the famous glacier mummy hosts a complex network of microbes ranging from ancient gut bacteria dating back to the Copper Age to cold-adapted yeasts that may have accompanied him for millennia.

The researcher team analyzed a broad set of existing samples, including surface ice, meltwater from inside the mummy, and swabs and data from earlier studies. A soil sample collected at the discovery site in 1991 was also examined. This allowed the team to distinguish between microorganisms that were part of Ötzi’s body during his lifetime and those that colonized him later, either in the glacier or during decades of preservation.

Traces of the original gut microbiome were once again identified, offering rare insights into the microbial past of humankind. His microbiome resembles those of other early human populations and is rarely found in modern industrialized societies.

Particularly striking is the discovery of cold-adapted yeasts isolated from samples of skin, meltwater, and stomach contents. Genetic analyses reveal a relationship with microorganisms from extremely cold environments such as Antarctica. The results suggest that these yeasts have a glacial origin and have accompanied the mummy for millennia.

“The conservation conditions of the mummy are very stable today,” says Elisabeth Vallazza, director of the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology. “Continuous microbiological monitoring ensures that the mummy is not damaged, but further research and ongoing conservation efforts are certainly needed to preserve it for many more generations.”

The study was published in the journal Microbiome.

You can find the press release from Eurac Press here.

Photo: The preservation of Ötzi the Iceman at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology (c) South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology / EURAC / Marion Lafogler