Examining the molecules of proteins mummy teen girl, which many years ago Incas sacrificed, scientists have found that it is in life he suffered from tuberculosis. Original research methodology applied by experts, have allowed to determine the form of the disease - chronic pulmonary tuberculosis. And here was found next to her boy was absolutely healthy.

Teenage girl 14-15 years, which sacrificed for about 500 years ago, all of last century lay in the ice on top of a six thousander, which contributed to the excellent preservation. Beside her frozen body of two young victims: a seven year old boy and a six-year girl. Instead of the traditional analysis of DNA, scientists have studied proteins in tissues and found that seemingly healthy girl had a bacterial lung infection, resembling tuberculosis. For the first time infection detected in mummies.

Although DNA analysis to help resolve a lot of ancient mysteries, he is not devoid of shortcomings and even can lead to wrong conclusions. So, the presence of the parasite Plasmodium falciparum malaria found in the tissues of the mummy of Tutankhamun, does not mean that malaria infection has become the main or even one of the main causes of death of the Pharaoh.

Deaths at catching the infection is typical mainly for children under the age of nine years, and Tutankhamun, as you know, died at 18 or 19 years old, most likely, had a stable immunity against malaria Plasmodium. In the hands of specialists and other evidence which showed that the most famous in the history of the Egyptian Pharaoh could not fall victim to this disease. The error could well be the consequence of the fact that DNA samples exposed to pollution.

Unlike DNA, protein analysis allows to judge about the state of the organism at the time of death, when it comes to mummy. As their molecules can judge whether there was activated the immune system to fight disease.

A group of researchers from new York University (City University of New York) headed by Andzelika Cartels (Angelique Corthals) studied the patterns of the mummy (the so-called Maiden, "Girls"), discovered in 1999, on the slope of the volcano Lyulyaylyako (Llullaillaco), rising to 6739 metres above sea level on the border of Argentina and Chile.

It was found three mummies that, unlike embalmed Egyptian "colleagues", was subjected to deep freezing. The body of a seven year old boy also studied, but to explore the remains of six girls scientists still not solved. Probably it once struck by a lightning, which may affect the accuracy of the research results. Most likely, the three children were sacrificed, as evidenced by those about them artifacts: gold, silver, clothes, bowls with food and extravagant headdress of white feathers unknown birds.

Historians suggest that the children were selected by the Incas for their beauty (in addition, children were considered more pure beings than adults) and sacrificed at the ceremony, called "catacocha" - capacocha. The Incas did not often bring children in sacrifice.

As informs the Internet-portal LiveScience, the previous research found: before you make sacrifices, during the year the children were fed ' elite" products - maize and dried meat Lam, though they ate only peasant food, consisting of potatoes and vegetables.

In an interview with Daily Mail, Cartels noted the innovative nature of scientific research: "the technology Itself detection of pathogens in the tissues of mummies is not new, but still it was impossible to determine whether they are latent or active". The new technique allows not only to look back in time and discover some of the mysteries, in particular, to know the reasons of occurrence of a pandemic influenza 1918 to 1920-ies - the famous "Spanish flu"which took lives of millions of people around the globe. Thanks to this unique opportunity can be saved from the terrible epidemics that threaten humanity. This technology will be widely used in forensic medicine.

The researchers used a multi-dimensional technology to identify proteins (MuDPIT is multidimensional protein identification technology), which in combination with mass spectrometry is often called shotgun proteomics or gel-free proteomics. When using MuDPIT is fractionation peptides obtained by treatment with protease extract total protein cells. Splitting are all proteins, regardless of their molecular weight, pl (it refers isoelectric point protein is the value pH of the medium, in which the molecules of a given protein carry no electrical charge and hydrophobicity.

In this case, do not lose any of low-molecular or macromolecular or hydrophobic proteins or proteins with extreme values of PI. Using high-tech methods allows to determine the amount of protein in the sample, to identify the protein primary structure and posttranslational (i.e. occurred after the synthesis of the molecule) modification.

The studies revealed that the boy was absolutely healthy. No deviations, symptoms or pathogenic bacteria scientists in his body was found. X-ray lung "Girls"after he found indications of chronic pulmonary infection showed signs of inflammation. Additional DNA analysis has led to the discovery of traces of the bacteria Mycobacterium that cause respiratory diseases and tuberculosis. Only the analysis of DNA of the bacteria may contribute to the accurate diagnosis of diseases of the girls, but it has not yet carried out.