Animal domestication in the era of ancient genomics

The domestication of animals led to a major shift in human subsistence patterns, from a hunter-gatherer to a sedentary agricultural lifestyle, which ultimately resulted in the development of complex societies. Over the past 15,000 years, the phenotype and genotype of multiple animal species, such as dogs, pigs, sheep, goats, cattle and horses, have been substantially altered during their adaptation to the human niche. Recent methodological innovations, such as improved ancient DNA extraction methods and next-generation sequencing, have enabled the sequencing of whole ancient genomes. These genomes have helped reconstruct the process by which animals entered into domestic relationships with humans and were subjected to novel selection pressures. Here, we discuss and update key concepts in animal domestication in light of recent contributions from ancient genomics. Improvements in DNA extraction methods and sequencing technologies have led to the successful sequencing of numerous whole ancient genomes. In this Review, the authors provide an overview of how ancient DNA has informed our understanding of the domestication of various animal species, including dogs, pigs, cattle, goats and chickens.